Pursuing Happiness
by UtSuKuShIi MoOn
Summary: AU - As a single parent, Naruto needed to think what was best for his children. After the tragedy that struck their small family, he could only hope the future would bring better days. Of course, he didn't expect it to come in the form of his raven haired neighbor and his daughter. Yaoi NaruxSasu SasuxNaru.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** As a single parent, Naruto needed to think what was best for his children and that meant moving back to the city to get them the best education—that and he couldn't depend on his parents forever to support him. After the tragedy that struck their small family, he could only hope the future would bring better days. Of course, he didn't expect it to come in the form of his raven haired neighbor and daughter.

 **Author's Note:** Characters may be out of character. This is an AU fanfiction and yaoi. Don't like, don't read. NaruSasu, SasuNaru.

 **Disclaimer:** I have no rights over the Naruto franchise or any characters except my OCs.

 **Warning:** Rated M for adult content and language.

* * *

 **Chapter One**

The last box finally dropped on the wooden floor with a loud thud, followed by a painful groan. Naruto straightened his back, a hand messaging it as he let out an exhausted sigh. He was getting a little too old for carrying stuff around. He sighed in relief, however, because thanks to the movers, the place was mostly furnished with the larger furniture. All that was left was the decorating, but that was easy or at least he hoped it would be. Smiling, he took another look around the apartment he rented. As he stretched his back a little more, he heard tiny footsteps running behind him. He turned in time to see a flash of black hair before the tiny thing, or rather, the small child, ran straight into his legs, nearly topping him over. An "oomph" escaped his lips as he balanced himself and glanced down at the little girl. Himawari looked up, her bright blue eyes glistening in curiosity. She giggled just as he reached down to pick her up. She was probably a little too old, eight to be exact, to be held, but she was his little girl and he couldn't ever say no to those eyes.

"Do you like our new home?" he asked.

Himawari nodded, "I like it...there's a park nearby and, oh! Mr. Inuzuka downstairs has a dog! His name is Akamaru! I got to pet him, but Boruto didn't want to go near him. I think big brother is scared of it." Himawari tilted her head to the side with a questioning look. "I don't know why, but I think Akamaru is nice! He's a little old, but he's a nice doggie."

"I am not scared of Akamaru! It's just...it drools and slobbers!" Boruto shouted as he hurried through the door, trying to defend his pride.

"He does not!" Himawari argued.

Naruto chuckled, settling Himawari back onto the floor. "Okay, okay! That's enough you two. I'll have to go down and say hi to Mr. Inuzuka. Is grandpa still down there?"

"Yes. He's locking up the truck and then he said he's going to come check out the place before he leaves again," Boruto replied as he curiously started inspecting the place.

"Do you like it?" Naruto asked his oldest child.

Boruto stopped near the tiny hallway leading to the two bedrooms and a walk in storage room. He shrugged nonchalantly. "I guess. I liked living with Grandpa Iruka better."

For a mere second, Naruto caught a look of guilt, but it quickly vanished as Boruto put on an air of indifference, schooling his face into an emotionless stare. The bluff wasn't unnoticeable. Naruto knew better. He could tell Boruto wasn't too keen on moving back to the city.

After the tragedy three years ago, he thought moving to the countryside to live with his parents would be good for them. Losing their mother was hard for all them, but it probably hit the children the hardest. Hinata was a big part of their life and her passing away happened when the two were still young. The worst of it was that they suffered through watching their mother as cervical cancer ate away her life. Naruto had no doubt it may have scarred them emotionally.

He also went through a lot during that time. He grieved for a long time, practically falling into depression. He lost his job and had shut everyone out, including his children. His father, Iruka, did his best to take care of them while he was grieving, but it got to the point where Naruto almost gave up his own life. Iruka had been the one to make him realize what he was doing, pointing out how his children were grieving as much as him, how they were too young and they couldn't lose their father too. Naruto, realizing what he was doing to himself and his family, decided to take back his life. He needed to be strong for his children and live for them and their future.

The move back into the city was to get the best education for his children as well as getting a job. He was a grown thirty-three year old with two children; he couldn't rely on his parents forever. Bringing his mind back to the present, he watched as Boruto and Himawari continue their little exploration of the small apartment. The living room area was large enough for a couch, coffee table, and their flat screen television. A glass sliding door led to the small balcony opposite of the entrance. A counter divider separated the living room area from the tiny kitchen. It was on the narrow side, leaving room for maybe one or two adults to move around, but it at least had room for a round dining table. The wooden floor looked new and the walls weren't peeling nor were there any holes. Another plus was that it wasn't too far from the train station, a thirty minute walk. It made traveling easier for him to get to the city for work and the elementary and junior high school for Himawari and Boruto were a walking distance also. The place was actually nice and for a good price. He had to really thank Jiraiya, the owner of the apartment complex, for being so generous in helping him out.

"Hmm, a little on the small side." Iruka's grumbling voice nearly startled Naruto.

He turned and raised a brow at his father. "It's fine. It's only a family of three."

"The bathroom is really tiny."

"Yeah, but the public bath isn't too far. Ten minute walk."

Iruka sighed in defeat. "Fine. I just...worry is all."

"I know. But...we'll be fine now. If I ever need help, I'll give you a call."

Smiling gently, Iruka nodded and then went on the little exploration of the rest of the apartment with the kids as Naruto finished setting up. The sun was dipping into the horizon just as Naruto finished the set up of the altar. On the small shrine was a picture of his beautiful wife, Hinata. Her gaze, gentle and sweet, stared lovingly back at him. His heart clenched at the sight of it. Not a day went by where he didn't think of her. While he had made the decision to become strong for his children, his heart was still aching for his lover. The nights when he dreamed about her was the worst. He would wake up thinking she was lying next to him only find it empty and he would cry all over again, sobbing into the pillow to stifle them. He wondered if there would ever come a day where he could look at a picture of her and his heart would not pinch in pain, the tears would not threaten to fall, and all he would feel is the warmth of the times when they were still together; the happy memories of their lives and never the days where she spent them in the hospital or in bed.

"Daddy! Are you done? Grandpa Iruka is going to leave!" Himawari shouted as her tiny footsteps echoed down the short hallway.

Naruto reached out, tracing a finger over Hinata's face before he stood up to greet his daughter. Himawari found him just as he was closing the door to the storage room where the altar was placed. She grabbed his hand and led him back to the living room where Iruka was waiting. Naruto smiled, trying to hide his sadness as he walked his father out and back to the truck. By now, the sun was already gone and the blue, dark purple of night began to drench the sky. The cool, fresh breeze of spring blew by, tickling his skin. Although it wasn't near cold, goosebumps still prickled his skin. After a brief goodbye to Iruka, he watched his father get into the truck and drive away. Once the truck was far enough till only a speck was visible, he turned around to go back inside. It seemed greeting his neighbors would have to be for another day as it was already dark.

Back inside the apartment, he found Boruto and Himawari laying on the floor reading. He joined them, picking up the book Himawari had been reading and started reading it to her. Although Boruto rolled his eyes, claiming he was too old to be read too, he still sat by him and listened intently as Naruto narrated the book enthusiastically, his voice changing with each character. It made Himawari laugh and her sweet voice made Naruto happy. Eventually, it was time for them to sleep. He ushered them to wash up.

"Aww, but I don't want to sleep yet," Himawari whined once they were done brushing their teeth.

"The both of you are starting school tomorrow and I have work tomorrow too," Naruto said.

"You don't even start work until eleven," Boruto countered.

"Well yeah, but I want to wake up early to take you guys to school." Naruto grinned at his son.

"...If you can even wake up early," Boruto muttered.

Hearing his son tease him, he pouted jokingly. Then he grinned a mischievous smile. Quickly standing up, he rushed over and lifted a squealing Himawari over his shoulder. Boruto's eyes widen. His son stood quickly, sprinting to run, but Naruto reached him in seconds. A laugh escaped his lips as he grabbed his son, and held him against his side, carrying them to their bedroom they would be sharing. The children were screaming and laughing in delight, something that Naruto hadn't heard in a while. Finally, he plopped them onto their own bed.

"Daddy..." Himawari's quiet voice caught his attention immediately.

"What is it, dear?" he asked, squatting down so he could be on eye level with her as she lay on the bed.

"...Can I sleep with you tonight?"

She pouted with her big eyes. Naruto pretended to clutch his heart, turning his head away. "Oh no! Don't look at me with those eyes!"

Himawari giggle at his acting. "Pretty please?"

Sighing, he ruffled her hair. "Of course. Come on." Standing up, he picked her up into his arms. She lay her head on his shoulders as he turned to looked down at Boruto. "Did you want to join us?"

"No way." Boruto rolled onto his side, his back facing them.

"Suit yourself."

Naruto shrugged, flicking off the light in the room and then carried Himawari to his bedroom. He gently laid her onto his king size bed and tucked her in, kissing her on the forehead. He shuffled around and went to lay on the other side. He flicked the light off, pulling the covers over himself. Sleep came quickly, but somewhere in the middle of the night, he heard footsteps, waking him up. He mumbled, rubbing his eyes open as he felt the bed dip and then something warm snuggled into his side. Naruto smiled sleepily, ruffling the blond hair of his son. Boruto tended to pretend he didn't care, but often times he would reveal the softer part of his personality when no one was watching him. A bit of a tsundere. He briefly wondered where that part of his personality came from as he wasn't at all like that and neither was Hinata. He moved over a bit toward the center, giving Boruto more room. Eventually, he fell back asleep, plastered in the middle between his two children.

The next morning was hectic. Turned out Boruto was right. Naruto didn't wake up in time and he nearly got them late, but he did eventually get them to school. He was starting work today which meant that he wouldn't be able to pick up his kids as the ramen shop he was going to work for didn't close up till nine at night. Boruto had to take up the responsibility of picking up Himawari from day care. He felt guilty, but it would have to do for now.

After dropping the children off, he returned to the apartment. Seeing as he still had plenty of time before heading to work, he decided to greet his neighbors, starting off with downstairs. He walked up to the first door and knocked. He heard shuffling from the other side of the door, a bark, and then the door opened, revealing a man with brown hair and red tattoos on his cheeks. Naruto blinked, a little startled by the man's look.

"Yeah?" His neighbor raised a brow at him.

"Oh! Uh, sorry, I'm just introducing myself. I'm the new tenant that just moved in. You met my daughter and son yesterday. I meant to introduce myself yesterday, but didn't get a chance to. I'm Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto said, bowing as he held a hand out for a handshake.

His neighbor shook his hand. "Inuzuka Kiba. You can just call me Kiba. Cute daughter you have."

"Ah, thanks. You can call me Naruto then." Naruto scratched his head awkwardly.

"Hey, if your daughter wants to play with Akamaru again, she can come by whenever. He's a little on the old side, but I think he'll enjoy it. He has some pups, but they don't live here, only because this place is a little small. They're currently staying with my girlfriend. I'll probably bring them over one day if she ever wants to play with them. Oh, my girlfriend also has kittens...so yeah. I don't know about your son though. Seemed a little reluctant to go near Akamaru." Kiba tilted his head slightly.

"Yeah, I think he's a bit afraid of him. Don't tell him that though."

"Boys and their pride."

"Yup."

The two grinned. Naruto had a feeling he would be getting along very well with Kiba. "Well, anyways, I'll go finish my round of introduction."

"Alright. Ah, that's right. I should mention. I actually have a roommate; my friend Aburame Shino. He's working right now, but you'll probably see him around. Don't get too creeped out by him. Shino tends to...uh...look a little intimidating to those who don't know him."

"Thanks for the heads up." Naruto nodded and then turned. He continued his greetings, meeting quite a few neighbors. There was Shizuno, who was a nurse, Gaara, the tattoo artist, and Rock Lee, a martial artist in hopes of becoming a professional. Finally, he reached the last neighbor, the one to the right of his own apartment. He knocked, but there was no answer. _Probably aren't home_ , he thought as he returned to his own apartment to finish unpacking.

After everything was unpacked, he took a look at the time. The unpacking had taken up quite awhile. If he wanted to get to work on time, he had to leave right then. Standing up from where he was sitting, Naruto stretched and then went to get ready for work. Once dressed, he left with his keys and wallet. The trip to the train station was just as he thought, a thirty minute walk. It wasn't too bad and the scenery along the way was nice. The train station also wasn't very busy at the moment, which he was thankful for. It looked like his work time started after rush hour.

The train ride to his work was around forty-five minutes, taking him into the city where he exited off Shibuya Station. The walk to the ramen shop was probably another thirty-five minute walk. When he reached his destination, Ramen Ichiraku, he was still a little early. _Better early than late_. Naruto walked inside, spotting Teuchi, the owner and who also happened to be an old friend of Iruka, wiping down tables. Hearing the door open, Teuchi had looked up, surprise on his face.

"Naruto! You're early," Teuchi said jovially.

Grinning, Naruto replied, "It's a first, right?"

Because Iruka knew Teuchi, he was able to get a connection to start working there. It also helped that Teuchi liked him and thought he was a hard worker. Teuchi ushered him over and they talked for a bit, catching up on what was happening in their lives. As they were laughing, the door opened. Naruto turned to see Ayame closing the door behind her.

"Hm? Oh, are you Naruto, the new employee?" she asked.

"Yes," Naruto replied, "You must be Ayame, Teuchi's daughter."

"I am." Ayame walked over, bowing to greet him. "So it looks like for today you'll mostly just be shadowing me and watching. You'll get a little hands on teaching too, but mostly just observing for now. We also have two other employees, but...let's just say I hope you can learn quickly."

"That's fine." Naruto raised a brow, wondering why Ayame appeared to look exhausted at the mention of the two other employees.

"Anyways, we'll be opening in a bit. I'll prep up. Dad, are you finished wiping the tables?"

"Almost," Teuchi replied.

"Hm? Let me finish that up then and you can go help out Ayame," Naruto offered.

Teuchi gladly handed him the wet cloth before hurrying into the kitchen to help out Ayame. As they prepared the broth for the ramen, Naruto quickly cleaned the tables as well as the counter. After he was done, he joined the other two in the kitchen where he watched them finish prepping the broth. After a while, the door opened again and two men walked in. They were introduced as Nishi and Matsu, the other two employees. As soon as they entered the kitchen to help out, bowls were broken and ramen noodles were accidentally dropped on the floor. Naruto helped picked up the broken dishes and clean up, realizing now why Ayame looked exhausted. He laughed sheepishly, wondering if he would be able to be of much help. Eventually, the place was cleaned up and the restaurant opened.

Lunch rush hour was packed to the brim. Naruto ended up being a waiter as Nishi and Matsu were deemed incapable to manage that by themselves. Ayame had ordered him to help out even though he was suppose to be shadowing her. However, Naruto didn't mind and did as he was told, serving customers and making sure they were happy. Many of the customers were pleased with his service, even mentioning how they were glad Teuchi hired him. By the end of the day, Naruto was exhausted. It was late and he really wanted to head home and sleep.

"So, now that we're closed and everything is cleaned up, let's go out and drink!" Ayame exclaimed, "Naruto, since it's your first day here, we'll make this your welcoming party."

"Eh? Ah, you don't really have to. I'm kind of tired." Naruto waved his hand, hoping she would take his rejection of her invitation.

"Come on, you're still young. You shouldn't be tired yet."

"I don't think being thirty-three is young anymore."

"That's still young to me. Come one!"

Before he knew it, he was being dragged to an izakaya with Teuchi, Ayame, Matsu, and Nishi. They settled down by a table near the window where they ordered beer, sake, and plenty of food. There was so much food that Naruto wondered if he could take some home for Himawari and Boruto in case they didn't have dinner yet. However, before he could even ask, Ayame was shoving a bear into his hand. They cheered to him and then drank...and drank...and drank some more. Naruto was so drunk by the end of their welcoming party, he had no idea what was coming out of his mouth. As they left, Teuchi asked if he would be able to get home. Naruto, drunk out of his mind, waved the old man off.

"I'll be fine...I'll be fine," he insisted even as his legs wobbled and he swerved left and right.

Teuchi seemed as drunk as him. The two laughed and eventually all of them went their own way. Naruto headed home, but he had no idea how he even managed to get on the train and make it back to the apartment. Before he even realized it, he was already by the steps leading up to the apartment. Looking up, he could see the lights on. Himawari and Boruto were home. He giggled, trying to climb up the steps, but failing each time.

"Ungh, why...can't...my feet...move how I want it..." Naruto grumbled. He gave up after the sixth try, sighing in frustration as he sat down. "So tired...maybe I'll just...sleep here..." It was so comfortable. He closed his eyes and let the exhaustion take over.

* * *

 **Author's note:** I've been wanting to write this for some time. Debated about it, but finally decided I'm going to. They'll probably be short chapters.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Characters may be out of character. This is an AU fanfiction and yaoi. Don't like, don't read. NaruSasu, SasuNaru.

 **Disclaimer:** I have no rights over the Naruto franchise or any characters except my OCs.

 **Warning:** Rated M for adult content and language.

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

It was soft and warm and something smelled...amazing. Naruto's stomach grumbled at the sweet smelling aroma of food, stirring him awake. _Was Hinata cooking pancakes?_ His eyes blinked open groggily, but he immediately winced at the sudden light on his face. His head pounded and his breath stank like stale beer. It was too painful. He groaned, rolling over onto his stomach and pushing his head into the soft pillow. He tried to ignore the headache, inwardly cursing and promising himself never to go drinking again. As he continued to berate himself, a sudden realization dawned on him. The smell of of food didn't go away. He sat up swiftly, wincing at the pain, but mostly ignored it. _Hinata...no, I'm not dreaming anymore_. He looked around, wondering if he was in a stranger's home, but he wasn't.

"Daddy!" Himawari's sweet voice rang through the house.

He winced again in pain and then shuddered as his door swung open, loudly banging the wall. "A little gentler, please Himawari," he muttered.

"You're already awake? Ah, hurry and come eat breakfast. There's pancakes!"

Himawari over to him, pulling him out of bed and dragging him by the hand into the kitchen. Naruto wondered how there were pancakes for breakfast. He knew he didn't have the ingredients to make such a luxurious breakfast and there was no way Boruto knew how to cook it. The only plausible answer was if Iruka stopped by, but then if he did, his dad would have at least called to let him know. Himawari let go of his hand and ran over to the table, but Naruto stopped in his tracks once he rounded the corner. He blinked, rubbed his eyes to check if he was seeing things, but nope, he wasn't seeing things. There was a stranger, raven hair with his bangs parted to cover one black onyx color eye, standing in his kitchen wearing the apron that belonged to Hinata. A flash of anger soared through him. How dare a stranger touch Hinata's precious items?! He glanced to the table and was startled. A girl, the same age as Boruto, sat beside Himawari. She wore a pair of pink glasses. The moment their eyes connected, she quickly looked away in embarrassment. Anger ebbed into confusion. Who were these people?

"I apologize for the intrusion," the stranger said, bringing his attention back to him, "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I'm your neighbor to the right."

Naruto blinked. _Neighbor to the right...the one that wasn't home yesterday_. That didn't explain why he was in his house though.

"You were passed out drunk last night on the bottom of the stairs," Boruto explained, seeing as he needed some, "Mr. Uchiha helped you when he came home from work and found you. He brought you upstairs."

"Mr. Uchiha said that ramen wasn't a nutritional dinner, so he said he would cook us something. It was very yummy! So I asked if he could make us breakfast," Himawari said excitedly.

"I told her no," Boruto provided, "But she wouldn't listen."

"It's mostly my fault," Sasuke said softly, "As a parent, I know it might be a little startling to see a stranger in your house cooking something for your kids. I'm sorry for intruding."

"Mr. Uchiha is not intruding! I like Mr. Uchiha. He's nice and his cooking is yummy. And big sister Sarada is also nice! She goes to the same school as big brother." Himawari clung to the girl named Sarada, giving Naruto a pleadingly look. "Daddy, please don't be mad."

Naruto didn't know what to say. He liked making Himawari happy, but to let a stranger into their house and cook food for them, that was something he would have to scold her for. Not to mention, Boruto went along with it too. And while Uchiha Sasuke didn't seem like a bad person, an adult offering to cook food for a stranger's children was just plain odd.

"...Alright, you kids will be late if you don't get going now," Sasuke said, interrupting the uncomfortable silence.

Sasuke ushered the kids along all the while Naruto was left speechless. He could only watch in utter shock as Sasuke got the children to dress and ready in a few minutes.

"Mr. Uchiha, do you know how to put this on?" Himawari asked, revealing a pink bow clip accessory for her hair.

Her voice brought Naruto's attention to her. He watched the interaction between Sasuke and his daughter. Sasuke brushed her hair easily and then clipped the accessory on with such ease making Himawari smile so brightly, Naruto felt a pang of jealously. Three years without Hinata and he tried to be able to do stuff like that for Himawari, but even with those years, he wasn't able to it with ease like Sasuke did. _Who the hell did he think he was?_ Naruto wanted to rage at the man, but he couldn't, not in front of the children. He was so focus on glaring at the man, he didn't even notice Boruto standing next to him. A nudge from his son took his attention away. He glanced down, blinked, and then raised a brow at Boruto's frown.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"You can't act childish," Boruto said.

"Huh? What do you mean childish? I'm not acting childish. What adult man comes into a stranger's house and cooks dinner and breakfast for his kids?"

"Someone who understands." Boruto replied easily. "You should be thanking him. You came home drunk and didn't even make it upstairs. I wouldn't have been able to carry you up."

"Ah...well...I mean I'm grateful for that...but...really?! Cooking?"

"Dad, we told him about mom." Boruto's voice was so quiet, Naruto had to strain his ears to hear it. "Sarada is my classmate. She told me she didn't have a mom either."

Naruto sucked in a breath. Now he felt guilty. Sasuke probably felt an understanding for the children and wanted to help out. Himawari was so happy too. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Alright...I'll buy a thank you gift during my break at work."

"Good. I'm going now."

"Un, have a safe trip."

He watched after Boruto and then blinked, realizing that he should probably be walking them to school. He was about to rush after them, but Sasuke stopped him. He halted, surprised by the man's quiet footsteps. "Uh...um, thanks for helping out," Naruto said.

"It wasn't a problem. But again, I'm sorry if I intruded," Sasuke said.

"Ah, no, it's okay. Besides, Himawari was really happy and Boruto, he may not show it, but I know he was happy to be able to eat something else other than ramen."

"...You don't have to walk them. I'm heading out to work now anyways, so I'll take them. there's still some left over pancakes if you want to eat breakfast."

"Oh. Thanks?" Naruto stared, but Sasuke was so expressionless it was hard to get a reading on him. He didn't know what the other man was thinking.

"Then...goodbye."

"Bye."

The front door closed, leaving a gaping Naruto behind. He ran a hand down his face. This morning was out of the ordinary. He needed to rest up some more. As he turned around, the whiff of pancakes made his stomach grumble again. He stopped, staring at the leftover stack of pancakes. His stomach roared again, louder this time. Sighing in defeat, he went to the table and sat down. He grabbed the plate of pancakes, poured some syrup, and took a huge bite. Grudgingly, he had to admit the pancakes were good. He could see why Himawari was infatuated with the food. He could only hope she didn't get too use to it as he didn't think Sasuke would come over every time to cook for them. Sighing, he finished the rest of the pancakes and cleaned up after himself before getting ready himself ready for the day.

He went to work early again, feeling a little restless at home. He also thought that if he got to work earlier, he would be able to watch Teuchi make the broth. As he thought, he as able to observe Teuchi, but once the restaurant was open, people filed in one after the other. The place always seemed packed. It was the same as yesterday except there was no after party. He was able to get home in one piece, sober this time. Of course, he also didn't forget the thank you gift he got for his neighbor. In his hand was a bottle of sake. He wasn't sure if Sasuke drank, but who in this day and age didn't? He made his way upstairs, reaching his door. He unlocked it, happy to be home.

"I'm ho-"

"No! I don't want to eat ramen! I want to eat Mr. Uchiha's cooking!" Himawari yelled.

Naruto almost dropped the bottle of sake when he heard Himawari shouting.

"You can't! You shouldn't bother him!" Boruto argued.

"Wha-what's going on?" Naruto hurried inside, locking the door and setting the bottle of sake on the table as he knelt down on the floor to calm a crying Himawari. Boruto was frowning and shaking his head.

"I told her we shouldn't bother Mr. Uchiha to cook for us again," Boruto said.

"Himawari...your big brother is right. We shouldn't bother our neighbor too much," Naruto said gently, holding back his surprise. Himawari wasn't usually like this. Naruto knew she acted more mature for her age. He had gotten so use to it, he forgot she was only eight. "I'll, uh, buy something else other than ramen."

"No, I want Mr. Uchiha's cooking," Himawari pouted.

"Himawari." Naruto hated when he had to be stern with her.

"I miss mommy!" Himawari pushed him away and ran pass him to her bedroom, shutting the door loudly.

Sighing, he stood. It wasn't like he didn't know. The food this morning was home cooked, a taste so much different from store bought food. He didn't know what to do though. He wished he had his dad here to help him. Naruto glanced over to Boruto who was sitting quietly. He smiled softly at his oldest child. "Why don't you go and try to placate her?"

"And what will you do?" asked Boruto.

"Maybe I'll work something out with Mr. Uchiha."

"Like maybe...have him teach you how to cook something other than ramen?"

"Isn't that a little too much?"

"Better than asking if he could cook food for us too."

"True. Fine...now go."

Boruto hopped off the chair and walked to the bedroom, knocking on it softly before entering. Sighing again, Naruto ran a hand through his hair. Today was just all sorts of pandemonium. He grabbed the sake bottle, willing himself to hold back his pride and ask his neighbor for help. Walking out his apartment, he took another deep breath before turning to knock on Sasuke's door. He knocked twice and listened closely. The door opened within a few seconds. Naruto almost had a heart attack. Sasuke's pale features was enhanced by the silver moonlight, illuminating high cheekbones and black eyes. And since the man was only wearing a black tank top with shorts, Naruto could see that Sasuke was muscularly toned. He could appreciate a nice body and pretty face when he saw one.

"I heard," Sasuke said, breaking the silence.

"Huh?" Naruto blinked, dumbfounded.

"The walls...they're thin. I heard Himawari's voice."

"Oh...OH! That...I'm sorry."

"No, I should apologize. I didn't think she would take to my cooking so much. It might be hard, but I don't mind cooking extras, that is if you don't mind."

"...Well, here I was thinking it might be easier to just ask you to teach me to cook, but if you're offering _that_ , then sure."

Sasuke's lips curved upward to one side. A slight smile touching his face in amusement. "I think teaching you to cook will do you good. Ramen isn't exactly the best nutritional food."

"I grew up eating ramen." Naruto said with pout.

Sasuke actually huffed a laugh, quiet, but it was definitely a laugh. "And let me guess, you work at a ramen restaurant too."

"I do." Naruto stared wide eye in surprise.

Another huff of laugh, husky and low. When Sasuke looked into his eyes, Naruto could almost lose himself in his black onyx eye. He quickly looked away, a flush spreading across his face. He tugged at his ear in embarrassment and then remembered the sake.

"Oh, here," Naruto handed Sasuke the bottle, "this is a thank you gift."

"Thank you." Sasuke took the bottle from him. "Hold on for one second."

Sasuke disappeared and a few seconds later, returned with a pot. He handed the pot to him and Naruto took it, unsure of why Sasuke was giving him a pot.

"Curry. Have Himawari eat that...you do have rice, right?" Sasuke teased.

"Wha-?! Of course!" Naruto playfully glared, but then grinned. "Thanks. I mean it. We barely just met, but you've helped out a lot, Mr. Uchiha."

"Single parents...fathers too...I think we understand each other a bit. And please, just call me Sasuke."

"Ah, well, you can just call me Naruto then."

"So...about teaching you how to cook, does the weekends sound okay?"

"Eh? You really don't mind?"

"Not at all."

"Okay then. Yeah, the weekends are fine for me."

"Then it's settled. Be prepared, I'm not a nice teacher."

"Don't worry, I won't disappoint you...too much."

They shared a mutual laugh and then said their goodbyes. Naruto went back inside where Himawari and Boruto were waiting. The moment Himawari lay her eyes on the pot he was holding, she beamed him the brightest smile. He smiled back at her and set the pot onto the stove so he could set the table. He told them that Sasuke was going to start teaching him how to cook. Himawari seemed the most excited. He smiled at her exuberance then turned to Boruto who had been quietly eating. He ruffled his son's hair. Boruto glared at him.

"I'm not going to be your guinea pig," Boruto said.

"Eh, why not? I think I'll do fine," said Naruto.

"Last time you cooked with mom, you burned the food."

"I'll try daddy's food!" Himawari exclaimed.

Naruto grinned a goofy smile at his daughter as he hugged her. "Aw, thank you princess. See, you should learn from your little sister Boruto."

His son only rolled his eyes. Naruto laughed, returning to eat his food. Surprisingly, he was looking forward to the weekend. Maybe the future was looking up for him and his family.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

A month had passed since their agreement to cooking lessons. Naruto, so far, learned how to make salad and soup. Now he was learning how to stir fry. However, due to his inept ability to chop properly, Sasuke had slowed their lessons down to let Naruto get use to it. Even now, he was slowly chopping cabbage as Sasuke watched from the sideline.

In the background, he could hear Himawari laughing along with Sarada. Ever since Sasuke started coming by, Sarada came along with him and, maybe because Sarada was a girl, but Himawari seemed happier than usual. It felt like she had an older sister who understood her more than an older brother could. And because Sarada was also intelligent, Boruto and her seem to finish their homework together quickly before bed time. He was amazed. Boruto definitely had his mother's brains as he wasn't as smart that when he was younger. Yet, despite being intelligent, Boruto did have his moments where he did idiotic things, like teasing Sarada and Himawari—which he was doing at the moment—and getting beat up for it. He may be a boy, but it was still two against one and Sarada was strong for a girl. Suddenly, he heard Boruto yelping in pain. Naruto shook his head. His son would never learn.

"Watch your fingers," Sasuke pointed out.

Naruto quickly curled them inward. He looked up, smiling sheepishly at Sasuke. His neighbor, however, only gave him a blank look. Seriously, Naruto had no idea what it took to break some kind of emotion on Sasuke's face. Sure, the guy showed them every now and then—to his daughter and the kids and sometimes crack a smile at him—but there were those times when he would look at him with this blank stare that left Naruto wondering what the hell the other man was thinking. He wondered briefly if it had something do with his wife.

Forgetting about the knife, his fingers unfurled again. Naruto was still lost in thought when the sharp blade sliced into his skin. He glanced down at the sudden pain, staring blankly as red began to spill from the cut, pooling on the cutting board. "Ah."

Sasuke quickly looked over to him. His eyes widen at the sight of blood. Reacting quickly, he tugged Naruto away from the cutting board. He turned on the water to put the injured finger under. Red stained the running water, but surprisingly, it didn't hurt as much.

"This is why I told you to watch your fingers," Sasuke nagged. "You weren't pay attention were you?"

"Sorry." Naruto could only apologize. His gaze fell onto the pale hand gripping his wrist. It was a stark difference; white against tanned skin. His eyes followed the arm up to shoulder and then to the dip where shoulder and neck connected. Sasuke was wearing a loose black t-shirt, the neck hem wide, revealing just enough skin to want more. He felt Sasuke remove his hand from under the water.

"It doesn't look deep," Sasuke muttered then turned to face him. "Do you have a first aid kit?"

"Uh..." Naruto couldn't help but notice the distance between them. They were close, too close to his liking. He could feel Sasuke's warm breath on him. "In the storage room."

He finally replied, his breath stopping as Sasuke lingered, his hand still holding his wrist. A few seconds passed before Sasuke released his wrist and pushed pass him, heading toward the storage room. With his uninjured hand, Naruto placed it on his chest over his thumping heart. _Calm down! What is with this 'doki doki' going on in my chest?! I'm not young anymore, I shouldn't be feeling this. So Sasuke is a little on the attractive side. I can admit that, but I still love Hinata!_ Shaking his head, he took a deep breath to stop his heart from beating too fast.

Sasuke returned with the first aid kit. He tended to his injured fingers, then they returned to cooking. After the mishap, the rest of the day was the same as it was whenever they had their cooking lessons. After they tried out Naruto's food, they would take the kids out to the park, followed by taking them out to lunch and then returned to the apartment where the girls played Akamaru while Boruto stayed far away as possible. Naruto and Sasuke would end up chatting with Gaara who happened to be off on the same day. Eventually, they returned to Naruto's apartment when the sun had set where Sasuke would cook an amazing dinner for them. Naruto had gotten use to seeing Sasuke wear Hinata's apron. The anger and painful ache that once came with it when seeing him in it slowly went away. Replacing the emotion was one of giddiness, an excitement to seeing him wear it more often. Naruto didn't dare to examine closer why he felt that way. After dinner, the kids would go to sleep once they washed up and the two of them would settle in the living room, a cold beer in their hands as they drank their grief and sorrows away. The two of them were so similar in that aspect. They raged at the world, at the fates for playing them such crappy cards. They cried and talked about their wives, each regretting what they didn't do, what they loved about them, and how they dearly missed them.

Naruto was a blubbering mess, his head laying sideways on the coffee table. "How old was Sarada when Sakura passed away?" He had learned some time ago that Sakura was hit by a truck and had passed. It was a quick death, nothing like Hinata, but he was sure the horrible news still dealt a painful blow to Sasuke.

"She was five," Sasuke replied, his head leaning on the couch, one knee up while the other leg lay flat. "So young..."

"...She was the same age as Himawari when Hinata died. Maybe that's why the two connect so well."

"Probably. Sarada most likely understands the most what it's like to lose a mother at that young age..."

Naruto sighed. He rolled his head, his forehead pressed against the table. Suddenly, he was laughing. He probably looked like a maniac to Sasuke. "Look at us...two grown men wallowing in self-pity."

"The damn world should let us," Sasuke growled.

Chuckling, Naruto stood up slowly, holding onto the coffee table for support. "We should head to bed. You've got an early start tomorrow for work, don't you?'

"Yeah. Working as a salesman, you would think it would be easy, but the hours they demand are crazy. I spend hours just looking over sale reports and gathering information for marketing." Sasuke stood up slowly, groaning slightly as he sat on the couch.

Naruto tilted his head. "Seems rough...uh, did you want to sleep in the bed with me?"

Sasuke flicked his eyes up to him. Again, he was giving Naruto that blank, uninterpretable stare. He didn't understand. What was Sasuke thinking with that look? It was frustrating, but at the same time it drew Naruto in. And then he realized how his question had sounded. Eyes widening, he shook his head left and right.

"Ah! I mean, I don't mean it _that_ way! I just thought...you know, a bed would be more comfortable than a sofa. We are two guys, men, there's no problem sharing a bed. I have a king size bed anyway...I don't have any ulterior motives, not that I was thinking that." Naruto was struggling to fight for words to explain, a blush creeping on his face.

Sasuke continued his blank stare and then his lips lifted to one side. Amusement danced across his eyes. Naruto frowned. He was being teased _again_. He crossed his arms and huffed. Sasuke, on the other hand, huffed his usual quiet laugh—the one that always sent a tickle down Naruto's spine.

"Thank you for the offer. I think I'll take it up." He stood, stretching his arms.

Naruto saw the brief flash of pale skin. A spike of excitement ran through him. Biting his inner cheek, he whirled on his heels, leading the way back to his bedroom. He had to calm his beating heart down again, telling himself in chants that it was just sleeping and nothing more.

Soon they were in bed, the lights turned off, swallowing them in complete darkness. He could hear Sasuke breathing softly to his right, warmth emitting from his body. Naruto squirmed, blood rushing loudly in his ears. This was a bad idea. He shouldn't have suggested it, but he felt bad for always making Sasuke sleep on the couch when they had their cooking lessons. His neighbor was always helping out and cooking for them. The least he could do was offer the a nice place to sleep. He rolled onto his side, his back facing Sasuke's supine sleeping form. Shutting his eyes, he willed his brain to stop over thinking. After some time of counting backwards, he finally fell asleep, though a bit restlessly.

He woke up early. The soft morning light of dawn peeking over the horizon trickled into the room. It was warm and he loved the feeling of Hinata wrapped in his arms. Naruto smiled sleepily, wishing his dream wouldn't end. His hands drifted upward to her chest, but found it flat. He frowned, sleep lulling away as his brain began to become alert. The warmth was real and the feeling of holding someone was real. Naruto's eyes fluttered open, remembering last night when he asked Sasuke to sleep in the same bed. He bit back a gasp. He was spooning against his neighbor, his arms wrapped around his waist, fingers splayed on a flat, taut stomach, the ridges of hard abs burning into his skin. Chest to back, thigh to thigh, legs tangled easily underneath a thin sheet. His mind reeled and abruptly stopped. His face flushed; he knew before his head could even process the thousands of image filtering through his mind. Sasuke's pert, firm butt—and yes, he knew it was firm and round because he stared at it enough to know—pressed hard against his crotch. Naruto sucked in a breath, trying his hardest not to imagine anything dirty, but failing. All he wanted to do was move his hips, to feel the friction of his now aroused southern region- _Fuck!_

Naruto quickly, but gently, untangled himself as to not wake up Sasuke. Once his limbs were free, he scurried to the edge of the bed, tossing the sheet aside. His breathing quickened, heart pounding against his chest. He stood, telling himself not to look, but the temptation, _the damn temptation_ , urged him. He looked over his shoulder, saw the wide expanse of smooth white skin where the shirt was lifted, and the images were back. Skin on skin, sweat glistening skin as they moved in unison. Naruto bit back a growl, swiftly whipping his head away from the sleeping body of his neighbor. He left his room, rushing to the bathroom where he shut himself inside. Naruto breathed in deeply, inhaling, then exhaling. He splashed cold water on his face, cursing under his breath with each splash. Finally, his arousal went away, but he was left unsatisfied. He looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was wet, water dripped down his face, droplets falling from his chin. He was a mess. Closing his eyes, he sighed dejectedly. What he felt for Sasuke was merely lust. He told himself this over and over, even convinced himself it was nothing more. After all, it had been three years since he had any sexual gratification for himself. He didn't even touch himself. After Hinata's death, it just felt wrong to do anything. But now...now, he wanted it so bad.

A knock on the bathroom door startled him from his thoughts. Wiping his face down, he tried to look his best. Opening the door, he came face to face with Sasuke. His mind went blank.

"Good morning. Sorry, are you finished?" Sasuke asked with a tilt of his head.

Locks of black hair swayed over his face, strands going out of place. Naruto's hand twitched. He wanted to brush them away, to feel how soft Sasuke's hair was and run his fingers through them over and over.

"Are you okay?" Sasuke frowned.

"Hm? Ah, yeah...yeah, I'm good. My bad. I'll get out of the way now." Naruto side stepped as Sasuke went the opposite way. As they passed by each other, their arms brushed. A shock of heat burned him, leaving a throbbing, but delightful sting of electricity. He didn't think Sasuke felt anything, but that touch did so many things to him. Naruto had to scold himself mentally to stop his body from reacting. _Damn this...I'm not some randy teenager anymore. I should be able to control myself!_ Sighing, he walked to the storage room where Hinata's altar was in. He entered it quietly, then sat on his knees in front of the picture to light an incense. Minutes ticked on by as he sat in silence, unsure of what to say to Hinata. Guilt was the one emotion that was thrumming in him at the moment which was making him unable to say anything. It wasn't as if he could just apologize. Even if he did, it didn't change the fact that his body was yearning for another person and that would mean he was lying to Hinata. He didn't like that at all. Another sigh left his lips. He dipped his head to his chest. He wished she was still alive, then none of this confusion would be happening. She would have been the one lying in his arms.

"Naruto?" Sasuke's soft voice entered the room before the door quietly slid open to reveal the raven haired man.

He glanced up at him, taking notice of the way how his wet hair clung to his skin. He watched for a while and then smiled slowly, patting the empty spot beside him. Sasuke entered the room, his silent footsteps padding on the wooden floor before he sat down beside him. They were both quiet, staring at the picture of Hinata.

"When I came in here yesterday for the first aid kit, I saw her picture for the first time," Sasuke whispered. "She's beautiful."

Smiling painfully, Naruto nodded his head. "So beautiful, inside and out. She was perfect. Or maybe I'm just bias...I don't care. She was sweet and kind to me and the children. Even to her very last breath, she would not shed a single tear for us to see. She passed away with a smile..."

Another quiet moment blanketed them, yet it was not the shadow of grief, but a moment of happiness, remembering the moments where Hinata was just alive and the days she spent with him.

"Your injury, may I see it?" Sasuke asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Un." Naruto held out his hand, forgetting that it was bandaged. It was now wet from when he had splashed water on his face.

Sasuke tutted, nagged him that he should be more careful before he grabbed the first aid kit again and wrapped his cut once more. He was so gentle with his hand, carefully applying ointment and new bandage. Naruto stared at his pale, long, slim fingers working over his tanned ones, calloused from hard work. "You have pretty hands," he whispered. Sasuke's hands stopped moving. Naruto, realizing what he had blurted, blushed brightly. The words hung in the air as their eyes slowly met. Sasuke's black onyx eye stared at him, blank of all emotion. "I...that is...I mean..." Stuttering for words, he felt his face become hotter.

"Thank you," Sasuke whispered, his eyes flickered back to his hands and started moving again. "You, uh, have nice hands too."

A chuckle slipped passed his lips. Shaking his head, Naruto said, "There's no need to lie. I know my hands are rough and calloused."

"I like your hands. Compared to mine, they show the hard work you've done."

"Hands don't show everything. I know for a fact that you work hard. Coming from a single parent too, I know how hard it is to raise a child. Plus, you're teaching me how to cook too." He watched and blushed as a smile slowly made its way onto Sasuke's face. "How well am I doing?"

"Cooking? Hm, I'd say mediocre." Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly.

Naruto grumbled as Sasuke chuckled. After his hand was patched up again, they got up and began their normal Monday routine of waking up the kids, cooking breakfast, and then Sasuke dropping the children off at school before he went to work. At the door, he hugged Himawari, ruffled Boruto's hair, and then hugged Sarada. His affection most likely surprised her as he felt her tense at his touch. As he released her and stood back her, he smiled brightly at her. And then he turned his head to glance at Sasuke. Suddenly feeling embarrass, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, come back safely," he said under his breath, but still loud enough to be heard. Sasuke tilted his head at him. His lips hadn't tugged to smile, but Naruto could see it in the man's eyes.

"I'm off then," Sasuke replied as he ushered the children out the door.

When the door closed with a click, Naruto let out a loud sigh, running his hand through his short cut blond hair. It was going to be difficult if he kept lusting after his neighbor. Turning on his heels, he brushed the worry away in hopes that his lust filled thoughts were only a phase and things would go back to normal. _Yeah...it'll go back to normal..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

He had told himself it was just a phase lusting after Sasuke, but the more they spent time together, the more Naruto started started to fall in love. He was surprised by his own change of feelings. After Hinata's death, he didn't think he could ever fall in love with another person, but Sasuke was proving to be different. As he sat in in the dining chair, the morning light peeking through the blinds hanging against the windows, he watched Sasuke gracefully maneuver himself around in the small kitchenette. It was quiet except for the clattering of dishes. The children slept in as it was a Sunday and their day off from school. Naruto couldn't help but feel at peace. For once, he really felt like he was home again. The tranquility of the morning, Sasuke prepping to cook breakfast, and the children sleeping, it was like they were a small family of their own. And that thought brought many emotions forward in Naruto. His heart pang in yearning for a future like now. If his life could remain like this forever, he would be happy, but then he wasn't even sure if Sasuke felt the same. The man was such a hard read. He bit back a sigh.

"I can feel you staring," Sasuke said.

Naruto blinked, caught off guard. "Huh?"

"I can feel you staring at me." The raven haired man set the last of the dishes into the dish rack and turned around to look at him. "Is something wrong?"

He stared dumbfounded. He couldn't fathom how Sasuke was able to read him when he honestly thought he did well in hiding his emotions. "It's..." _I like you_. The words wanted to fall from his lips, but he shut his mouth, stopping them. He sounded like a teenager, blushing at the thought of confessing. Finally, he shook his head. "It's nothing."

Sasuke seem to stare at him for a moment longer, then resumed to his chores. Naruto watched him for a second longer before he got up. He stretched his limbs a bit then walked toward the storage room. He opened the door, stepped inside, and closed it. The sunlight burst through the glass of the windows, heating the room in a cozy warmth. Naruto settled himself in front of the shrine. Lately, he found himself sitting before Hinata's pictures, stuck in a limbo. He knew he would never forget Hinata and would always love her, but there was always the guilt that if he loved another person, it was like cheating on her. This new feeling he was beginning to have for Sasuke was pulling him in different directions. He wanted to be with the other man, but he didn't want to leave the memories of Hinata behind either. He wanted to find happiness again, to be another family, but Hinata was his wife and she was everything to him. If he found someone else, would it mean he hadn't loved her as much as he thought? And there was Bortuo and Himawari to think about also. He took a breath, pressing the palms of his hands to his eyes. He chuckled humorlessly.

"Can I ask you this?" he asked quietly, hoarsely, suppressing a sob, "ne, Hinata? Or is it too wrong of me to ask you? Can I fall in love with someone else? Will you hate me?" He pulled his hands away to stare at them. He clenched them into fists. "Can these hands hold another person?"

He waited in bated silence, but nothing happened. He choked back a laugh. Of course there wasn't an answer. Life was never that easy. He sat quietly, unsure of how long he stayed in the room until Himawari knocked on the door. She came in quietly, walked over to him, and sat down. He glanced down at his daughter, noting how much she was growing.

"Breakfast is ready daddy," Himawari said, turning her blue eyes toward him.

"Okay. I'll be there in a second, okay?" he told her as she got up.

"Okay...daddy? Are you crying again?"

"...no...no, I'm not."

"Mm...daddy, I don't think mommy will want you to be sad all the time."

Naruto was surprised by her words. "And why is that?"

Himawari shrugged. "I just don't think mommy will be very happy seeing you cry. I don't think mommy will be very happy seeing me cry too, that's why I will always find a reason to smile. For example, I smile because daddy is still here; I smile because big brother is here too. And now, I have big sister Sarada and Mr. Uchiha to smile about too! With everyone here, it's like we're a big family and I'm happy!"

Himawari was smiling brightly, her eyes shining in pure joy. Her smile in turn brought joy to Naruto; he returned her smile with one of his own. He stood, his heart set in determination to follow what would make him happy. He walked over to Himawari, bent down on his knees, and hugged her tightly. "Thank you."

His daughter giggled and then she was pulling away from him and telling him to hurry up. Naruto stood up again to follow after her. As he stepped out and turned to close the door, for a moment, he caught a silhouette in the room. The bright rays of the sun seeped through the translucent form. Black, short hair and a gentle smile. A sudden sadness and peacefulness fell over him. A faded smile and a nod of a head pushed him on and then she was gone as if she was just a figment of an imagination. Or maybe she was and Naruto was just seeing it because he wanted to. He didn't know anymore, but he wanted to believe. He smiled as happiness spread through him. He bent his head just as tears spilled from his eyes. "Thank you," he whispered, "Hinata."

When he entered the kitchen again, Himawari was already sitting down next to Sarada. His eyes caught on Sasuke who lifted a questioning brow at him. He shook his head and went to sit down to enjoy another day filled with laughter.

* * *

Later that night, he and Sasuke were once again drinking while the children slept. Instead of wallowing in their own pity, Naruto made them remember the moments when their wives were alive and all the days they were happy together. However, Naruto was curious as to why Sasuke had mourned for Sakura for seven years. He didn't want to ruin their good mood, but he wanted to know and pushed forward with his question. "You mourned her for seven years. I know losing someone, grieving over them isn't something that will go away...it doesn't get better, it just...becomes manageable, but...I wonder, seven years is long..."

"I never got to say good-bye, you know. I wasn't exactly...the greatest husband," Sasuke replied, his tone bland, but for once Naruto caught the briefest look of pain.

"How is that possible? I mean, you're great at cooking, brushing the girls' hair, and all that fashion stuff that keeps them happy."

Sasuke's lips lifted to one side. "I wasn't that great at it in the beginning. It took me a while to get it, but I had to...Sarada only had me. I...lost my family when I was young. I grew up in an orphanage and moved out when I was seventeen after I had saved up enough money. I met Sakura in high school and started dating her near the end of my third year. I knew she had a crush on me since our first year-"

"Yeah, and I'll bet you had plenty of other girls chasing after you too. You even probably had the whole 'cool and mysterious, bad boy' look going on." Naurto muttered, a tint of jealously slipping into his tone at the thought of girls going after a young Sasuke.

Sasuke chuckled at his words. "Yes, quite so, but I was young and stupid, as are all boys when they are at that age."

"Not me." Naruto folded his arms across his chest like a petulant child.

The raven haired man huffed a laugh, his eyes dancing in amusement. "Oh really? Somehow, I get the feeling it's very different from what you said."

"Hmph! Anyways..." Naruto waved a hand for Sasuke to continue his story.

"So we started dating and even went to the same college. But...even though we were dating, I wasn't exactly always around. Sometime in the middle of our second term in college, Sakura got the news that her parents died in a car accident during their vacation over seas. She took it hard and despite knowing I had to be there for her, I wasn't. I was living alone and so, I was working a lot to pay for rent and food. I didn't even go to their funeral. Yeah, I wasn't that great of a boyfriend either. I always thought Sakura was strong, that she didn't need much coddling or a clinging boyfriend...so I never bothered much. But then she stopped coming to class and even signed to drop out of college. For once, I actually felt like I was going to lose her. So I went to visit her and...it was bad. Sakura was an only child. She lived with her parents and she hadn't even started working yet because her parents were supporting her. But with them gone and most of their insurance money going to the funeral, Sakura lost almost everything. The house was the last thing that was going to be taken away too. She tried to act strong, but I could see she was distraught. Seeing her trembling while trying to smile, it broke something inside me. And so, I told her to come live with me. It seemed that took her by surprise. I guess that surprised me too. I didn't like being around people much and having someone live with me, I never liked that idea. But somehow, I fell in love with her before I even knew it. She came to live with me and we got married. A year later, Sarada was born. It was just the three of us. We had no other living relatives...so when Sakura passed away, it was just me and Sarada."

It was a painful story. Naruto wanted to reach out and hug him, comfort him with sweet words, and promise him that he wasn't alone anymore; it didn't have to be just him and Sarada anymore. He wanted to be there too and he was sure Boruto and Himawari wouldn't have minded. He held back, watching as Sasuke stared into the distance, his mind else where. His body moved on its own. He wanted Sasuke back in the present, not lost somewhere in the past. He pressed forward, blocking Sasuke's vision. He knew the moment Sasuke came back, his eyes registering Naruto's presence in front of him. Confusion flicked through the black onyx eyes, then settled on him. Naruto inched closer, watching for any movement, but nothing. And then he closed in the final distance between them, pressing their lips together in a soft kiss. He flicked his tongue, running it across Sasuke'e bottom lip asking for entrance. When his mouth relented, Naruto dove in, swiping his tongue along the roof and gliding over a hot tongue. A second passed. Then Sasuke was returning his kiss just as fervently. Eyes slid close, letting the mood sweep them away. Naruto leaned over more, covering Sasuke's body with his own, straddling his lap. The kiss turned soft to heated, sweet and passionate. Aroused, he needed more. His hands slipped under the white t-shirt, tracing up the grooves of taut muscles. Sasuke moaned under him, waking up a primal hunger in the pit of his stomach. Naruto growled. His fingers found themselves on soft nipples. He pinched and rubbed the nub till it hardened beneath his fingertips. Another pinch and then Sasuke was pulling away from their kiss, a gasp on his saliva slicked lips. Naruto was in dazed awe as Sasuke rolled his head back, resting it against the seat of the couch, exposing smooth white skin on his neck. Naruto licked his lips. He dipped his head, flicked his tongue and licked from the hollow of the collar bone up to the junction of his jaws. He stared hungrily at the slick trail, sucked and nibbled on pale skin underneath chin, licked up another trail till he was kissing Sasuke again. Hands flew to grip his shoulders tightly. Naruto gingerly trailed his hands back down, farther south, tangling fingertips through the patch of coarse hair below belly button leading to his destination. His fingers twitched near the elastic band of Sasuke's sweat pants, so close to dipping inside.

"Daddy?" Himawari's voice echoed through the house.

Naruto's eyes fluttered open. Blue eyes met black eyes. The kiss broke, his hands flew away and he pushed himself off too fast. His back slammed against the edge of the coffee table. Beer cans fell over from the force, clattering on the surface. Naruto yelped in pain, crumpled into a ball while his hand gripped his mid back where he had hit it. He groaned in pain. Another hand was on his injury in seconds, rubbing it soothingly.

"Daddy?" Himawari's voice was closer now. "Are you okay?"

Sasuke was leaning over him—the other hand happened to his. "He hit his back on the table, but he's fine. Was there something you needed?"

"Ah, no..."

"Nightmare?"

Naruto couldn't see, but he assumed Himawari nodded her head. He bit back a groan as he sat up. Himawari was walking to them, her head tilted downward slightly and her shoulders pulled up. Naruto could see she felt embarrassed, but he didn't think she needed to feel that way. He opened his arms to her, a soft smile on his face. She was in his arms in seconds, pressing her face into his chest. He felt the hot trickle of tears stain against his shirt, her little body trembling. He hushed her, humming soothingly in her ears to calm her. In a few minutes, she was asleep in his arms. Looking down at her, Naruto smiled gently. She was growing up, but she was still his baby girl. Sasuke leaned into him, brushing stray strands of black hair away from Himawari's face.

"You should take her to bed," Sasuke whispered.

"Un." Naruto agreed. Carrying her as gently as possible, he stood up. He looked down at Sasuke, suddenly unsure of what to say to him. "You should head to bed too..."

Sasuke tilted his head back, his gaze on him. "...I think I should take the couch this time around."

"Oh. Okay." Guilt tugged at him. He wanted to delve deeper into what had occurred between them, but Sasuke seemed reluctant to. Naruto turned and headed back to the room the children were sharing. He put her back into bed, then checked up on Boruto and Sarada. The two were still sleeping peacefully. After making sure all three were tucked in, he went back to the living room. Sasuke had settled onto the sofa, eyes closed. His chest moved steadily with each breath. Naruto wanted to go back to him and resume what they were doing earlier, but seeing Sasuke pretending to be asleep was a cold rejection. He was a little hurt by it. He turned, instead of going back to the living room, and went to his bedroom. As he got into bed, he turned off the lights and lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, but it felt lonely to be in a wide bed like his with no one to share ir with. Eventually sleep pulled him with his final thoughts hoping that tomorrow wouldn't be awkward between him and Sasuke.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

If last night hadn't been awkward enough, the next morning was worst. Naruto had hoped Sasuke would be willing to talk about it, but instead the raven haired man avoided his eyes and stayed a good distance away from him as they got ready. The rejection was like a paper cut. He didn't really notice the pain until Sasuke was leaving with the children and suddenly, it hurt like hell. Naruto sighed, slumping down onto the couch. He draped his arm over his eyes, a quiet laugh, lifeless and dull, stuttered pass his mouth. If he knew this was the outcome, he would have tried harder not to pull a move on Sasuke. He would have been happy just being _friends_. If only...but words were words and wishing for another outcome didn't do him any good except make him feel worst. Groaning, he sat up and stared at the spot where he had straddled Sasuke, lips locked, and body flushed. It was empty and clean as if it never happened. It was also probably what Sasuke wanted—to forget it ever happened at all. But Naruto didn't want to forget. He already resolved to follow his heart. He would have to try again. And if he couldn't tonight, then he would try tomorrow.

Tomorrow, however, turned to the day after and then the next day after that. Every time Naruto thought he got the two of them alone, Sasuke always found a way to excuse himself. The cooking lessons were also put on a hold. A week turned to two, and then a month. Frustrated, Naruto thumped his head against the window in his bedroom. Another weekend with just the children since Sasuke had taken to working over time. He groaned inwardly, wondering how he was going to talk to Sasuke when the other man was intent on avoiding him. With things like it was, he wondered if maybe he should just give up because all he wanted to do now was _see_ Sasuke's face. And if not pursuing the matter between them meant Sasuke would finally look at him, he was fine with it. Suddenly, the door burst open, surprising him. He jolted, whipping his head to the door. Boruto stood between the door frame, arms crossed and brows furrowed.

"What did you do to Uncle Sasuke?" Boruto asked angrily.

"I didn't do anything!" Naruto lied, but then sighed. He walked over to his son, placing a hand on his blond hair and ruffled it, ruining all time and effort Boruto put into styling it. As usual, Boruto scowled and swatted his hand away.

"Then why is Uncle Sasuke avoiding you? Himawari thinks the two of you got into an argument because of her from that one night when she woke up from a nightmare," Boruto said, eyes glaring at him.

Naruto smiled at the look. Boruto was always protective of Himawari. He'd make sure anyone who made her cry, cried ten folds and that included him. He sighed again. "It isn't Himawari's fault. No, it's just...an adult problem."

"Then hurry up and make up already!"

"I'm trying to, but it looks like Sasuke doesn't want to talk to me." He sounded whiny which made him cringe.

"Then let me help," Sarada appeared behind Boruto. "Ever since the two of you got into an argument, dad has been a lot sadder. It's almost like when..." Sarada fell silent, looking away as she fidgeted her fingers.

Understanding dawned on Naruto. He sighed quietly, smiling sadly as he knelt down and pulled her into a hug. She tensed for a moment, but then relaxed into his arms. Her small arms wrapped around his neck. "Your dad is stubborn," Naruto whispered.

"I know he is," Sarada whispered. She leaned back to look him in the eyes, smiling shyly. "But I think you'll be able to convince him otherwise."

Grinning, Naruto nodded. "I'll do my best."

After they had planned to _ambush_ Sasuke, they set their plan in motion. Near evening, Sarada texted Sasuke, telling him she was sick. She felt guilty for lying to her dad, but she told Naruto that it was for a greater cause. He wondered what she meant, but didn't bother to ask her to explain. Once it was confirmed that Sasuke was leaving work, they hurried over to Sasuke's apartment. Naruto stopped briefly at the front door when Sarada had opened it. His heart pounded loudly against his chest. In all the time they've spent together, he had never once stepped foot inside Sasuke's apartment. It always seemed forbidden. He gulped and then took a step forward.

"Come on, dad!" Boruto's voice broke his trance.

Shaking his head, Naruto pushed away his thoughts and went inside. The apartment room was meticulous and clean, toned in gray or black; it was exactly as he pictured it. There were a few pictures on the walls, mostly of Sarada as she was growing up. Walking farther in, his eyes landed on the one single frame on the end table beside the gray sofa. A beautiful woman with pink hair and green eyes stared directly back at him. Even without being told, Naruto knew who the woman was.

"My mother..." Sarada whispered, breaking the silence. "Sakura."

"She's beautiful. You look just like her," Naruto said.

Sarada blushed. "People say I look more like my dad because of the black hair and black eyes."

"Well they're wrong. You look very much like her." Naruto grinned down at her.

"I know you two are sharing a moment, but can we hurry up? We don't want Uncle Sasuke to come in while we're still here," Boruto said, interrupting them.

They resumed their plan. Naruto was to wait in Sarada's room and once Sasuke was inside the room with him, Sarada and Boruto were going to close the door behind him and block it with a chair against the doorknob. Naruto told them to leave them alone and when they were ready, he would text them to open the door.

As he settled down, Boruto walked over and stood beside him. Naruto glanced down at his son, quirking a brow at him. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"You know, I think Uncle Sasuke is cool," Boruto said.

His face was blank which reminded Naruto a little too much of Sasuke. "Yeah? I think he's cool too."

Boruto nodded. "You better apologize _a lot_."

"Yes, yes. By the way, since when did you start calling him uncle?"

"When he said I could."

"Okay...and what about me? Am I cool?" Naruto hopefully looked at his son.

Boruto stared. "Boys my age aren't suppose to think their dad is cool." He turned and started heading for the door.

Naruto sighed dramatically. He shouldn't have expected much, but it would have been nice for a little compliment. He was about to sit down when he heard Boruto clearing his throat loudly. Curious, he turned sideways, pointing his attention to his son who was waiting at the door. Even with his back facing him, Naruto could see the red flush on his son's ears.

"Don't tell my friends at school...but I think you're cool too." Boruto took off in a run and disappeared around the corner, most likely to hide with Sarada.

Naruto was left a bit dumbfounded, but his heart swelled in pride. He nervously ran his fingers through his short blond hair and took a few deep breaths. He wasn't sure how the confrontation was going to go, but he couldn't give up either. If he was _cool_ like Boruto had said, then a person who was cool didn't surrender easily. Taking another breath, his eyes slid close and he waited, counting the seconds that ticked by. Half an hour passed when he heard the front door open and Sasuke's voice calling out Sarada's name. Footsteps rushed hurriedly through the apartment, coming closer with each step. It stopped in front of the door. Slowly, the door creaked opened and Sasuke stepped inside quietly. He had his head turn, but when he looked to the bed, Naruto saw surprise register in his eyes. Sasuke whirled, but the door slammed shut followed by a click and then a thunk. Naruto watched patiently while Sasuke tried to open the door.

"Sarada? Open the door. This isn't funny," Sasuke said firmly.

"There's no point in trying to tell her. She was the one who came up with the plan," Naruto said.

"What did you tell her?" Sasuke asked, turning back to him with a glare.

"I didn't tell her anything. They just noticed you were avoiding me." Naruto stood. He eyed the other man. He took a step forward, waited a beat, then took another step. Sasuke pressed his back against the door, a hand behind himself as he jiggled the door knob. "Would you stop that?"

He was irritated. While he understood Sasuke may have been shocked by the kiss, this was going too far. Before anything had happened between them, they got along. They understood each other's pain without words, saw it in their eyes, knew they dreamed the same dreams. Falling in love shouldn't have made a difference. When he was within distance of Sasuke, Naruto slammed his hands on the door, locking Sasuke inside them. The raven haired man stopped jiggling the door knob and stared at him. "Why are you running from me?" he asked.

"I'm not running away," Sasuke replied.

"Really? You haven't been teaching me to cook for this past month and every time I get you alone, you always find an excuse to leave. If this was about the kiss...I'd apologize, but I'm not going to. Sasuke...I feel something more for you. I really like you and I think you do too. You returned that kiss. If we could just stop this running around and talk about it, it wouldn't have come to this."

"You don't understand."

"Then make me understand!"

Sasuke pushed him. Naruto was taken a back by the action. He stumbled backward, thinking he was going to fall, but Sasuke grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, steadying him briefly before he swung them around. Naruto yelped as he was slammed into the door. His breath caught for a moment. His eyes blurred. He took a moment to catch his breath, then groaned inwardly at the steady pain growing on his back.

"You shouldn't fall in love with me," Sasuke growled. His tone was of anger, but his eyes shone in pain.

"Why?" Naruto asked softly.

"Because I don't deserve it. Even if I...even if I..."

"Even if you like me? Even if I like you?" Naruto untangled Sasuke's fingers from the collar of his shirt and held them. He looked into his eyes and asked, "You'd deny yourself that happiness?"

"Yes." Sasuke hissed the word.

"Why?"

"I told you. I wasn't a great boyfriend...and I wasn't a good husband..."

Sasuke was trembling now. It worried him. The other man never showed much emotion and while seeing this side of him made him ecstatic that Sasuke was opening up, it also pained him that Sasuke was hurting. He pulled him into his arms and held him, rocking him from side to side. "Tell me why you think so."

"Our marriage was falling apart," Sasuke whispered, "as I said before...I wasn't always there. I was constantly working. I think she got fed up with it. On the night she died, it was our anniversary. I came home late and had missed the dinner she prepared for us. She got angry at me and we argued. We only stopped when Sarada woke up to our voices and started crying. When we got her back to sleep, Sakura told me she needed some time alone. She walked out the front door and I let her. I thought she would come back...until I got the news. The police called...they told me that when Sakura was crossing the street, an exhausted truck driver missed the red light and hit her. I...I didn't know what to say. I just woke up Sarada and got her ready. When we got to the hospital...she was already de-gone. The nurse gave me a plastic bag, something Sakura had been holding onto when she got hit. It was just a bunch of food, mashed and everything, but they were the food I liked. She was coming back home with the food I liked eating..."

Sasuke's voice cracked. He broke into a sob, his body shaking. Naruto slid them to the floor. With his knees up, Sasuke lay between his legs, head nestled into the crook of his neck as he continued to cry. Naruto held onto him, his chin resting on the top of Sasuke's head. He remained silent, letting Sasuke cry to his hearts content because he was sure the man never got the chance to. No family member alive to help out and with only him as Sarada's guardian, Sasuke had to stay strong for the both of them Naruto closed his eyes, tightening his grip. At least he had his parents to help out, but Sasuke had no one.

"I didn't get to tell her I was sorry or how much I loved her. I left her alone...like I always do. And I didn't even..." Sasuke broke into another sob.

Naruto held him closer. For a long time, they remained in that position until Sasuke's sobs had quieted, leaving them in the quiet silence of the room, darkening as the sun set. Naruto opened his eyes, ran his fingers through Sasuke's soft, black hair, and then turned slightly to place a kiss on his head. "I like you," Naruto said. Sasuke stilled in his arms. "Just...listen to me. It wasn't your fault that Sakura died. And I'm sure she never doubted that you loved her. If she did, then why would she have gone through the trouble of buying your favorite food?" He moved himself away until the two of them were looking at each other. "It. Wasn't. Your. Fault."

His emphasized each word because he wanted Sasuke to know that no one would ever blame him. It was time for him to stop punishing himself. He lifted his arms, cupped Sasuke's face, and leaned in. He kissed him, lips brushing tenderly. He pulled back and held onto Sasuke's gaze intensely, putting every emotion he had in them.

"Naruto..." Sasuke whispered.

Sasuke's body slumped into his, finally accepting him. His eyes slid shut and his mouth parted. Naruto moved in for another kiss, more heated, more fierce, passionate, and desperate. Mouths moved leisurely till gasps and moans echoed the room. Sasuke gripped his shirt again, clenched tightly in his fists. Naruto pulled away first, dipped his head and sucked on Sasuke's neck. He nibbled and licked, reveling in the soft mewls of the other man. And then he bit, _hard_. He smiled at hearing Sasuke grunt. Untangling himself from Sasuke, his eyes fell to the mark he made. He dropped a hand to the bite, rubbing it soothingly. "Mine," he whispered.

"Yours..." Sasuke answered hoarsely.

They kissed again, and again, and again until they were out of breath. Their foreheads touched gently, nose tips brushing, and hots breaths on skin. They held onto each other as sleep lulled them into slumber.

Naruto woke up at the sudden pounding on the door. Blinking groggily, he rubbed his eyes until he was awake. Sunlight lit the room brightly and the warmth of a body against him told him that Sasuke was still there. Glancing down, Naruto smiled. Sasuke hadn't run away again.

"Daddy?" Himawari's concerned voice passed through, "are you guys okay?"

"Dad!" Boruto and Sarada yelled in unison.

Their terrified and concerned voices woke up Sasuke. Naruto found himself staring down into his emotionless eyes. He held his breath, worried Sasuke was going to have second thoughts. Instead, Sasuke's lips lifted to the side and he pushed up, connecting their mouths. When Sasuke broke away, Naruto was left flabbergasted.

"Good morning," Sasuke greeted.

"Morning," Naruto returned the greeting.

"Dad!" All three children yelled, trying to get them to open the door.

Naruto chuckled. "I guess we should let them in now."

Sasuke nodded in agreement. They both got up and opened the door. Sarada and Boruto fell to the ground from leaning against it, but Sarada, being quick on her feet, scrambled back up. She hugged Sasuke tightly, her eyes shut with evident tears on the corners of her eyes. Himawari lunged toward him, wrapping her tiny arms around him while Boruto clung to the hem of his shirt.

"I'm sorry, dad," Sarada said, "we shouldn't have forced the two of you to make up!"

"Yeah!" Himawari agreed. "If you and Mr. Sasuke don't want to be friends anymore...we...we'll..."

She hiccuped a cry, making Naruto feel guilty. He scratched his chin sheepishly, feeling the short stubble of a beard growing. "Uh...actually, I think we're good now," Naruto said as he patted Himawari's head. He took a quick glance at Sasuke who flicked a gaze at him too. They shared a knowing smile.

"Yeah...we're good now," Sasuke said.

The three children were confused, but Naruto merely grinned and waved it off. He ushered them out the bedroom door, telling them they had to get ready. With the kids' backs toward them, Naruto raised his arm slightly to the side and touched Sasuke's pinky with his own. The raven haired man smiled briefly, his finger twitching and returning the touch.

"Thank you," Sasuke whispered.

Smiling, Naruto said, "Let's go." And they went to begin a new day.

* * *

 **A/N:** Ugh, I think this was a bit of a crappy chapter. Sorry! DX But yeah...it's not over yet. The two of them has some more drama coming along.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Naruto's relationship with Sasuke was going steady in the months that passed by. Or at least that was what he often told himself. In truth, he found it a bit straining. He and Sasuke had decided not to tell the children only because Sasuke felt a little uncomfortable with them knowing. Naruto agreed because he honestly believed in baby steps and if Sasuke needed time to get use to their relationship, then he didn't mind. But after a month, their dating became a secret to everyone, including his parents. Even now as he sat on the sofa in his apartment watching the children play games on the Xbox One, Sasuke wasn't beside him. The raven haired man was in the kitchen cleaning up dishes. When Naruto had offered to help in hopes of getting some kind of kiss, Sasuke had ushered him away. Depressed, Naruto pouted as he sat in silence.

"Daddy?" Himawari called out.

"Yes?" He answered, dropping his gaze to her since she was sitting on the floor with Sarada and Boruto.

"Does your stomach hurt?"

"No. Why do you ask that?"

"You're quiet. Are you and Uncle Sasuke fighting again?"

"No, honey." Naruto smiled at his daughter. He patted his legs and she clambered onto his lap. He held her tightly as the both of them turned their attention back to the game. He had no idea what game Sarada and Boruto were playing, just that it was a bunch of pixel graphics and they were building things. He got bored watching them. He tapped his fingers on Himawari's side, then grinned mischievously. With her focusing on the game, he bent his fingers and tickled her. Himawari let out a screech, laughing loudly. He continued to tickle while she struggled against him.

"Da-daddy! Sto-stop! Ahahaha," Himawari laughed, her hands tugging at his fingers, "Big brother! Big sister! Help!"

Boruto dropped his game controller and jumped onto Naruto's back. He let out a fake roar, standing up as Boruto clung on. His son screamed excitedly and suddenly, the three of them were playing a game of chase. Sarada was a bit reserved to join them, but Himawari had somehow grabbed a hold of her hand, dragging her along. Naruto chased them around the living room, his hands held up like claws while he growled. Sasuke suddenly appeared to watched them.

"What are you doing?" he asked over the screaming.

"Daddy is the monster!" Himawari replied to Sasuke. "Come play with us, Uncle Sasuke!"

"Hmm, I suggest being careful. The living room isn't big and someone might hur-"

Before Sasuke could even finish his warning, Naruto's foot smashed into the leg of the coffee table, stubbing his toe. He yelped in pain and then tripped, falling face flat.

"Someone might hurt themselves..." Sasuke finished his sentence and sighed.

"Daddy!" Himawari yelled in concern as she rushed to his side.

Naruto groaned loudly as he rolled onto his back. He stared up at the ceiling, lifting a hand to rub his stinging nose. Suddenly, he was laughing. Himawari was still looking down worriedly at him. He grabbed her, pulling her into a hug as he waved off Boruto and Sarada who were looking concerned. "I'm fine, I'm fine," he said. He let Himawari go, then told them to run along.

As the children went outside to play with Akamaru, he sat up slowly. Sasuke helped him up, checking over him and fussing with a blank face as usual. Naruto chuckled at his antics. "I'm okay. My toe hurts, but I'm good. Besides..." He glanced over to the shut front door, listening carefully for the kids. When he didn't hear anything, he pulled Sasuke into his arms. He fought against him briefly, but relented when Naruto pressed a kissed against his mouth. At first, he just wanted a small kiss, but after tasting Sasuke, Naruto wanted more. He wrapped a hand behind Sasuke's head, tangling his fingers into his hair. He tugged their bodies closer till they were flushed against one another. With his tongue, he pried into Sasuke's mouth, licking and tasting more, dancing along Sasuke's hot tongue, slipping and sliding as they fought for dominance over the kiss. He needed to hear Sasuke's voice, craved it more so. His left hand deftly slipped under Sasuke's white t-shirt, grazing over smooth abs. Naruto moaned at the feel of them on his fingertips. He found his way to the hardening nub and pinched. Sasuke gasped, letting him take control of the kiss for a moment. Naruto broke the kiss while he continued to fondle Sasuke's nipple, enjoying the soft sighs and moans. He flicked his tongue to lick Sasuke's lips, dragged it to his cheek, tasting salty sweat and soap. His tongue found its way to the ear lobes, sucking them into his mouth and licking them. Sasuke moaned louder, grinding their hips together. Both their erections were an evident tent in their sweat pants.

"Naruto...we should stop," Sauske whispered, voice trembling and hands shaking as he held on.

"Not yet," Naruto whispered back.

He released his hand from the tangle of hair, slid it down his spine, and hovered over the dipped to his buttocks. His fingers brushed over the soft elastic band, tugged, and delved in.

"Naruto!" Sasuke whispered his name hoarsely.

"Daddy!" Himawari's voice echoed through the hall of the apartment complex.

Naruto shoved his hand away, cursing under his breath. Before his daughter could get through the door, he pulled away from Sasuke, but dragged him to the bedroom. Sasuke stumbled after him, his breath heaving and lips red from the kissing. Naruto slammed the bedroom door behind them. He stood still, still breathing heavily while they waited and listened to the front door open and close. Himawari was still calling for him. He turned to Sasuke who stood behind him, noting the look of fear in his eyes for the smallest second.

"I...I'm sorry," Naruto apologized.

"Don't," Sasuke said, "if I hadn't want to, I would have tried harder to stop you."

"I know, but..." Naruto sighed. He was still aroused, but as he dipped his head, he saw that Sasuke was no longer even sprouting a tent. He was disappointed, but kept his head lower so Sasuke wouldn't see it. He trudged to the bed and sat down.

"I'm sorry," Sasuke whispered.

"What for?" Naruto asked.

"For not wanting the children to find out. It's just...I mean, it's a little odd, is all."

"Why is it odd?" Naruto asked, irritated by Sasuke's statement. He knew he shouldn't be annoyed, but he couldn't help it. They had been together for a month already and all he really wanted to do was be able to hold Sasuke's hand in public without him flinching away or hug him in front of the children without him looking guiltily and tensing up with each touch.

"...I'm going out first. It looks like you still need to cool down." Sasuke said, turning and leaving the room.

Naruto watched in silence, anger boiling in the pit of stomach. As soon as the door closed behind Sasuke, Naruto growled in frustration. He grabbed the pillow and flung it across the room. With a sigh, he flopped backward onto the bed. Was he expecting too much? Moving too fast? He wanted to know if there was some way to calm Sasuke down whenever they were in public. It was like Sasuke expected people to suddenly glare at them at the smallest touch and scold them. Naruto rolled to his side. It wasn't like he wanted to yell to the world that he was dating Sasuke—he did a little, but that was probably never going to happen.

Closing his eyes, he let his body calm down. By the time Sasuke entered the room again, he was no longer aroused. He sat up, raising a brow at the raven haired man. "What is it?" he asked.

"Himawari went back to play with Akamaru. She said that Kiba wanted to have a hot pot party for dinner. Gaara offered his place. Looks like Lee and a couple of his friends are gonna be there too."

Naruto lit up at the announcement. "Sounds fun. Let's g-" Naruto stopped short, blinking. Sasuke's shoulders were tense, which meant he didn't like the idea. Sighing, Naruto tilted his head to the side. "You don't want to go?"

"It's just...you know, the two of us..." Sasuke's voice trailed.

Again, Naruto was irritated. "What? It's not like we're announcing to them that we're dating. I mean, I'm not going to, are you?" Sasuke visibly relaxed after hearing his words which only infuriated Naruto more.

"No, of course not." Sasuke said, relief evident in his tone.

Naruto gritted his teeth together to stop himself from saying anything that would make Sasuke angry. He told himself he was just being childish, feeling like Sasuke was brushing their relationship off as if it was tainted. He looked away so Sasuke wouldn't catch his agitation. However, he was too slow and Sasuke noticed too fast.

"You're not happy," Sasuke stated bluntly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Naruto muttered, a slight pout to his lips.

He heard Sasuke sigh and pouted some more because it felt like Sasuke was blaming him. He kept his gaze away, body stiff. He only shifted when he felt the bed dip beside him. Naruto almost looked over to him, but forced himself stay put.

"You have to understand...this is all...new to me," Sasuke explained.

It was Naruto's turn to sigh. He slid his eyes over to Sasuke, shrugging with one shoulder. "This is new to me too."

Now it was Sasuke's turn to look away. "Really? It feels like you're use to it."

Frowning, Naruto replied, "Hinata was the _only_ person I ever loved. Meaning, she was the only one I've ever dated. What about you? You seem like you should be having more experience than me."

"I've...had casual dates. Sakura was my only serious relationship."

The two of them stared at each other, awkward and unsure how to proceed. This was the first they ever spoke about any other relationship other than their wife. Naruto sighed again, running a hand through his hair. He licked his lips nervously. "We...we should go," Naruto said, "I think the kids will enjoy it."

"If you want to," Sasuke replied, though there was still reluctance in his voice. "I'm not much of a group person, so you have to pardon me if I'm not very...social."

"It's fine. You have me, right? You can just socialize with me." That was Naruto's honest thought. He didn't like Sasuke talking to other people. Jealously seem to spike easily whenever someone got too close to Sasuke—like when they had taken the children to the store to buy new clothes last weekend and one of the sales woman who was obviously staring at Sasuke tried to flirt with him subtly. Naruto had dragged Sasuke away, glaring at the woman before they went to a different store. Sasuke may not see it, but there were moments when he was a little too erotic for his own good; for example whenever he finished drinking a beer and licked his lips. His pink tongue would dart out tentatively, licking his bottom lip, sucking away the droplets of liquid. Just thinking about it nearly had him hard again. Shaking his head, he pushed the images away. Naruto wondered briefly when he became so possessive. He couldn't quite remember being like that with Hinata.

"Alright then," Sasuke said, nodding his head.

"Okay...then come on, I think Kiba would want us to go buy some of the ingredients. The kids can stay here and play with Akamaru," Naruto suggested.

"Sure."

After listing what they were going to buy, the two of them headed down stairs. Just as Naruto had thought, Kiba asked if they could buy some of the ingredients, to which Naruto told him he was a cheapskate since he was the one who suggested the hot pot party. Kiba merely waved it off, telling him that it was all for the kids since Lee was inviting over some of his friends and they were bringing their kids along too. Sighing, Naruto and Sasuke continued their way to the grocery store.

At the store, Naruto perused through the meat section. He had no idea what to buy. Cooking wasn't his forte as usual. He looked over his shoulder, hoping to ask Sasuke to help out, only to find that Sasuke was walking quite a distance away. He blinked, confused why he was putting so much space between them. He stopped, cart still in hand as he waited for Sasuke to catch up. When the raven haired man finally caught up to him, Naruto noted the tense shoulders once more. He rolled his eyes. "The more you act suspicious, the more people will notice," Naruto grumbled.

"I'm not," Sasuke denied miserably.

Naruto arched a brow at him. He pointed a finger at the space between them. Sasuke had taken a step back proving his point. "We've shopped together plenty of times before."

"Yeah...with the children."

"So what if two guys are shopping together. They'll just think we're friends. Besides, what does it matter what they think?"

"It..." Sasuke frowned, unable to complete his sentence.

Shaking his head, he stepped around Naruto and picked up a few packages of meat. Sighing, Naruto assumed it was the end of their conversation. However, the stifling atmosphere of their argument hung in the air. Shopping with Sasuke alone became another note in Naruto's long check list of things not to do. There was a lot on that list, but as much as Naruto wanted to confront it with Sasuke and talk it out, Sasuke always seemed on the reluctant side. He feared their relationship was already going downhill. He sighed again, shaking his head. He couldn't afford to think negatively about it. The pessimistic thoughts weren't going to help his situation.

Shopping was done quickly in silence and they returned to the apartment where Kiba, Gaara, and Shino were already setting up the hot pot. Naruto and Sasuke started the grocery aside and setting up the table. Soon, it was night fall. Lee finally came by along with his friends. He was introduced to Sai, Shikamaru, and Chouji along with their wives Ino, Temari, and Karui. Turned out his friends' children also happened to go to the same school as Boruto and Sarada. While the children played together with Akamaru, the rest of them got to know each other. Sasuke, as he had stated before, wasn't a social person and thus, he ended up being plastered to Naruto's side, talking every now and then only to questions pointed at him.

As he watched, Naruto wondered how Sasuke and Sakura ever talked to each other if he was always this quiet. Even when they were together alone, Naruto had done most of the talking, except when they got drunk. His mind only wandered for a bit to the thought before it was pulled back by Lee who was pouring him more sake. Somehow, along the way, Jiraiya had joined them and the party got louder. Buzzed from the alcohol, Naruto grew relaxed. He draped an arm around Sasuke's neck, pulling the other man toward him. He laughed jovially along with the others, only noting the way Sasuke had once again tensed briefly. Not wanting to ruin his own mood, Naruto had brushed it aside and decided not to let go of Sasuke. It didn't last long. Sasuke had pulled away, brushing his arm off. Annoyed, Naruto glanced over to the raven haired man. He caught the panic look which was quickly replaced by annoyance. Naruto flicked his gaze away, a bit offended Sasuke would think he would out them. Sighing, his cheery mood simmered to a somber state. Sasuke was now putting a distance between them again, making their their fingers didn't brush and keeping his eyes contact away. Seeing as his mood wasn't going to get any better, he stood up to get some fresh air. Without telling Sasuke where he was going, he made his way to the front door. After leaving and closing the door behind him, the noise became a muffled silence. The night was beginning to get humid. Summer was fast approaching which meant the kids were going to be on summer break soon. He pondered where he would take them and then thought about inviting Sasuke along. He heaved a sighed. Even if he did invite Sasuke, he doubt the other man would want to do anything normal couples would do. The thought that he had to differentiate their relationship made his heart pang.

"That sigh doesn't sound too good," said a voice from behind him.

Naruto jumped, surprised since he hadn't heard anyone approaching him. He turned, nodding to greet Gaara who came to join him. They stood side by side in silence. Gaara rummaged through his pocket, taking out a packet of cigarette. He offered one to him, but Naruto declined. He wasn't a smoker; always said it was bad for his health and since he had children to worry about, he didn't need more damage done to his health. As Gaara flicked his lighter and lit his cigarette, Naruto shifted on his feet.

"So, what's with that sigh?" Gaara asked, puffing out a billow of smoke.

"Ah, nothing much. Just...thinking..." Naruto replied, unsure how he would actually answer as the sigh concerned a certain raven haired man who wanted no one to know about them. And Naruto didn't mind if no one knew either. It didn't matter, but he wished Sasuke was more open to the small touches that everyone else probably wouldn't notice.

"Relationship problem?" Gaara asked.

"Urgh..." Naruto blushed.

Gaara chuckled, taking another drag of his smoke. He blew out another puff. "Must be hard being in a relationship with two kids on you. Not to mention, the partner is a guy."

Naruto blinked. He had to rewind the guy's words in his head. Suddenly, he was coughing and a blubbering mess. Naruto was sure he hadn't done anything for them to be noticed, unless...unless it was the arm draping thing. He cursed mentally, hoping Sasuke would forgive. "Uh, look, I mean...I think you got it wrong."

Gaara's eyes lazily slid to glance at him. It was a look that said Naruto was bullshitting. "It wasn't subtle."

"Really?" Naruto's heart dropped. Sasuke was going to break up with him.

And then Gaara smiled. "Well, it wasn't subtle to me, but I don't think the others noticed. The whole arm drape and how he immediately shifted away afterward and then you got all solemn. Yeah, not subtle, but I tend to notice the small details like that...after all, I have to give credit to my senses."

"Huh?"

"I swing that way too."

"Oh." Well shit, what was he suppose to say to that? Naruto cleared his throat intentionally. "Uh, so, you're a tattoo artist?" The change in subject was awkward and although it was noticeable, Gaara didn't seem to mind even though his lips did lift to the side amusingly.

"Yeah. You interested?" he asked.

"I think I'm a little too old to get one."

"You're never too old to get a tattoo. I can design you one."

"Really?"

"Yeah...let me see."

Naruto turned toward him. Gaara grabbed his arm, tracing fingers down to his wrist, tickling his skin. "For a tattoo artist, I'm surprise you don't have any on you."

"You haven't seen me naked." Gaara's light green eyes looked up at him from under eyelashes.

Blushing, Naruto looked away. There was no way he was being flirted with. And even if he was, he was only interested in Sasuke, though he did admit that Gaara was handsome in his own way. Suddenly, the arm being held by Gaara grew hot as if burning. Maybe he was only imagining things, but his face was definitely flushing too.

"I like virgin skin," Gaara stated.

"H-huh?" Naruto stuttered, drawing his arm back carefully and keeping a wary eye on the other man.

Gaara smiled at him, shrugging his shoulders. "I meant tattooing. I like untouched skin. It's nice to work with."

"O-oh...uh...okay."

Another awkward silence ensued. Naruto thought of a hundred excuses to go back inside, but didn't know how to say it without sounding rude. He shifted on his feet again. He could just say he was going to check up on Boruto and Himawari, but then they were surrounded by other adults, so he didn't need to worry. He suppressed another sigh. Lately, he had been sighing—and didn't that say a lot about his life?

"So, are you interested?" Gaara asked.

Blinking, Naruto tilted his head. "Huh?"

"You don't pay attention very well, do you?"

"Yes, I do!" Naruto frowned.

"...tattoo. Do you want one?" Gaara asked again, an exasperated sigh on his lips.

"I don't know. What would fit me?"

"How about a fox?"

"A fox? Why a fox?"

Gaara shrugged, reaching out again and turning him to the side. Naruto followed along, watching with curiosity. Gaara had placed a hand on his shoulder blade and swept across then down.

"I think it would look nice," he mumbled.

"You think so?" Naruto looked over his shoulder, but couldn't see where Gaara was pointing, though he could feel the placement of where the red head was planning to put the tattoo and it was a large area on his back. Naruto wasn't too keen on the idea of getting a tattoo just yet. It looked painful. And tattoos weren't exactly acceptable to society. Nowadays, the younger generation were seeing them as a fashion sense and many places were tolerant as long as if it was covered up, but the stigma of tattoos still remained at large as gang related. If he got one, it would add a whole new set of trying to be socially accepted. Although, it wasn't as if he cared much about that either. "May-"

The sound of a door opening and closing interrupted Naruto. He tried to turn, but found that Gaara hadn't moved, making it much harder for him. When he did, his feet stumble. He practically fell into Gaara's arm.

"Naruto?" Sasuke's voice called out to him.

Hearing Sasuke's voice, Naruto pushed away from Gaara quickly. He apologized sheepishly as he turned to face Sasuke, only to find him glowering. Naruto blinked, suddenly feeling guilty. He knew there was nothing to be guilty about, but he did feel remorseful for leaving him alone when he knew Sasuke wasn't good with socializing. Gaara headed back inside, a hand brushing his arm as he walked passed.

"Think about it," he said cryptically before he disappeared back inside.

Naruto stood, squirming under Sasuke's scrutinizing gaze. They were quiet as Naruto didn't know what to say to him. A part of him really did feel sorry for leaving him, but another part of him almost felt pleased as a revenge. But as soon as he realized that, he felt guilty again.

"We need to talk," Sasuke said, breaking their silence.

Arching a brow at him, Naruto waved his arm in a sweep, indicating they could talk now. No one was there with them and he doubt the others could hear them. That didn't seem to satisfy Sasuke. The raven hair turned on his heels, heading upstairs. Naruto sighed again, taking that as his cue to follow. He wordlessly trailed behind the other man, noting they were going into his apartment. When they were inside, door shut, and settled, Sasuke raised a brow at him.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"Don't play dumb," Sasuke replied.

"Even though you call me _dobe_."

"Because you are one at times."

"Then I can act like one right now."

Sasuke huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose, clearly annoyed by him. "We're adults. Can't we act like one?"

"Well, if you can be more specific, then I can reply like an adult," Naruto answered, arms crossed against his chest.

"What were you and Gaara talking about?"

"What's it to you?"

"You said you would answer like an adult if I was specific." Sasuke glared at him.

"Tattoo." Naruto replied, smirking inwardly that he got Sasuke riled up.

"What?"

"Tattooing. Gaara offered to ink me."

"Don't."

"I think I get to choose what I do with my body."

"Right. While you get to do that, you risk getting your children ostracized by other children their age because you happen to have a tattoo and the parents would think you're associated with the Yakuza or something. And of course, that means they'll get bullied."

Sasuke's voice dripped with scorn. Naruto was pissed. He threw up his hands, letting out a frustrated huff. "I didn't even agree to it! And why do you care so much?!"

"I don't know! Maybe because you're flirting with someone else!" Sasuke's voice raised which was often rare.

"I wasn't flirting! And this is coming from the mouth of the person who drew away from me when I merely had my arm draped around them!"

"You said you wouldn't out us!"

"And I di-uh..." Naruto stopped himself. Gaara had noticed them. He wondered if that was considered outing them. He bit his bottom lip.

"What?" Sasuke growled.

"Uh...Gaara may have...noticed..." Naruto's voice dropped, muttering under his breath. The silence that came after his confession was pure tension. He could feel Sasuke's anger writhing.

"This is what I meant." Sasuke turned away and putting up the same walls which had caused the children to force them to make up.

"It wasn't my fault!" Naruto yelled. "In the first place, if you hadn't moved away, Gaara wouldn't have noticed."

"In the _first place_ , if you hadn't put your arm around me, none of it would have happened!" Sasuke yelled back.

"So I'm not allowed to put an arm around a friend?!"

"But I'm not a friend!"

"But they didn't know that! It wouldn't have mattered!"

"How can you be fine with this?! We were married! We had a wife and we have kids! How can you be okay with...with this relationship?! People would look at us and they would only see abnormal."

"Who gives a fuck?!"

"I care!" Sasuke turned back toward him, face filled with guilt.

Naruto was taken aback. He stumble backward, losing all words and trail of thought. Exhaustively, he walked over to the couch and slumped down on it. Resting his arms on his knees, he folded his hands and bent forward, eyes cast to the floor. He didn't think Sasuke would care how society would view them. If one thought about it, being a single parent wasn't accepted much either, especially being fathers. Most would expect them to at least remarry so the children would have some sort of maternal care giver.

"Naruto..." Sasuke whispered, his voice hoarse and tired as well, "I'm sorry. It's not that I don't want this. I do want this relationship to work. And I try...I really do, but sometimes it's hard to not think about what others will think of us. I want what's best for Sarada. That includes Boruto and Himawari too."

"The children are strong. Boruto and Sarada wouldn't take shit from others kids and if anyone tried to hurt Himawari, Boruto would protect her," Naruto said, eyes still on the floor.

"And what? Just let the kids handle that all on their own?"

"Of course not! If it got too far, I'd definitely do something. I'd even put all my money in for private schooling if I have too!" Naruto looked up at Sasuke. His hands were gripped together tightly. "It's just...I'm not asking us to reveal our relationship. Hell, no one needs to know our private lives."

"If you keep doing what you do, it might."

"Doing what? A touch here and there that any men would do? An arm drape, a hand pulling, a smile? Look...all I'm saying is we shouldn't care what others think about us. So what if they look at us in scorn when they see us hold hands or hug. It doesn't affect their lives. And I'm not saying we should go around telling everyone who looks at us in disgust to accept us and use it as a means to justify what I do and shoving it down their throat. If I did, it would be no different than a person shoving their belief onto me. All I want is to be happy...and that means being able to be in public with you, not caring how others look at us.

And I know it's hard. The society we live in haven't fully accepted it. People can read about it in mangas, novels, and see it in movies or anime, but it's _fiction_. To them it's a fucking fictionalize thing and it would never happen in real life. But it's real, we're living in it, the only difference is it's not going to always end where everything gets wrapped up nicely. We're going to struggle, that's life. But when we do achieve it, it'll mean so much more. When the trouble comes, then we'll fight it together. It doesn't have to be just you alone."

Sasuke was quiet, but he hadn't closed off. Naruto watched him intently for any reaction. Instead, Sasuke walked over to him, sat down, and pulled his hands into his. "I still don't get how you can accept this so easily."

"It's not easy. It's a struggle for me too. It's my first time with a guy...it's my first time in any other relationship other than Hinata. But one thing I want is happiness. That's all I want. And if it means being with you, who cares what others think. As long as the people I care about accept me, I'm fine."

"And what if they don't?"

"But then I'll have you, right?"

"I wish I could be more like that..."

"Baby steps. But baby steps doesn't mean hiding all the time."

"...I'll try...but you'll have to forgive me every now and then if I mess up."

"I will."

"I still don't get it. It's almost like you understand this hardship already."

Sasuke was looking at him now, curiosity brimming in his eyes. Naruto looked away, but then brought his gaze back to him. This time, he held Sasuke's hands, bringing them to his chest. He leaned forward, placing a small kiss on the other's lip. "I have a story to tell...would you listen?" he asked softly.

Sasuke nodded. "Yes."

"Much like you, I also lost my parents when I was young. Well, I mean my biological parents. My mother died in childbirth and my father died in an accident. I was up for adoption. Iruka adopted me. And you know Iruka, I tell you a lot of stories about my dad. What I haven't told you is that the parents I grew up with are same sex couple. Yes, I have another father. His name is Hatake Kakashi. They met in college and fell in love. Because there is no law for same sex marriage, Kakashi adopted Iruka, making them a family. In turn, Iruka adopted me. We became a family of three.

I knew my parents were different when I saw other children have a mom and dad. And when the other kids found out I didn't have a mom, I was bullied. For a while, I did hate Iruka and Kakashi for having that kind of relationship because it made my life harder too, but I realized it didn't matter what the gender of the person you love is...all that mattered was that they loved each other and was happy. When I realized this, I thought how unfair the world was to my parents. I sometimes picked fights with those bullies who made fun of my parents, but then I also realized no matter how much violence I used, it didn't change anything. So I would ignore the ones who were always trying to pick a fight with me and soon, most of the children just started to ignore me. That's just how it was...and yeah, things quieted down after that. Iruka and Kakashi still struggled against societal views, but they were fine and I knew without a doubt they loved each other and they loved me. That was what mattered. I grew up seeing their struggles, but I also saw the positive things. There will be people who will be tolerant, people who will accept it, people who won't agree, and those that just don't care."

Naruto exhaled slowly. This was the first he ever spoke about Iruka and Kakashi to anyone else other than Hinata because Hinata had known. She grew up with him and had known their struggles too, but Hinata was always kind and accepting. She loved Iruka and Kakashi as if they were her own family and cared for them too. Naruto had loved her more for that.

But now, he held onto Sasuke's hands tighter, hoping he wouldn't turn away like all those other people did who found out through rumors. For a single moment, it was as if the world had stopped and it was only the two of them. Their quiet breath, heaving in and out, brushing on skin, their body moving slowly, melding into one. Sasuke's nose buried into the crook of his neck, his hands tangling into his short cropped hair. He breathed in Sasuke's scent, his anxious pounding heart slowed to a calm beat. And it was that perfect moment of understanding, of knowing what the future would bring them and their small family, but knowing the other wasn't alone in the battle. Sasuke leaned back, his hands cupping his face, bring Naruto's gaze to meet his. Narutp blinked, searching Sasuke's face for any rejection. All he received was a kiss, slow and sweet, but demanding and passionate, filled with all their insecurities and promises. The kiss broke, but they stayed close, forehead touching. Sasuke's hand never fell away from his face.

"For you...for you I will do whatever it takes," Sasuke whispered, voice near cracking.

"Not just for me. For you, too. For both of us. Let's find our happiness together," Naruto replied hushed. And they kissed once more, sealing their promise in a vow.

When they returned to the party, Gaara gave Naruto a knowing look. Avoiding the red head's gaze, Naruto tried to scoot away from Sasuke, but Sasuke grabbed his arm, tugging him closer and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. Surprised, he glanced over to the raven haired man tentatively. Sasuke's lips lifted in a small, shy smile. He mouthed _'baby steps.'_ Naruto smiled in return, finding comfort in the arm around him. He grabbed a can of beer, cheering with the others and taking a swig. Naruto's mind started to wander once more. He didn't want to ask again, but the question kept tugging him from the back of his head. Finally, he caved. He turned toward Sasuke, leaned in, but not too close, just enough for Sasuke to only hear his voice. "So...when do we tell the kids?"

* * *

 **A/N:** Wow, this chapter turned out to be a bit longer than I expected.

I try my best to research into Japanese culture, so I can at least get the cultural aspect correctly. In this case, I looked into the view of homosexuality and tattoos in Japan. I don't think I did a thorough research, but I concluded that while some, the younger generation mostly, are becoming accepting, there is still an ignorant view that for gay men, they mostly think of them as _okamas—_ in others words, the men who act very feminine. It gets hard in trying to correct this image as they are also depicted as this even in their media. I also read that while there are mangas and such about the topic, it is only seen as fiction and when it is a reality, it is not fully accepted. There were also a few experiences of where some were fired from their jobs after the superior found out they were a homosexual—a lot of it relating to the collective harmony cultural part of Japan.

As for the tattoos, I read about the experiences. Although tattoos nowadays are being seen as fashion, there is still the stigma of it relating to the yakuza or anything criminal. In most experiences, it seemed that as long as tattoos are hidden (use of bandage, wraps, long sleeves, etc.), then it is fine. Some places will not mind tattoos, while other places do not want tattoos to be exposed.

As such, despite my one day research, it may not be all correct. DX Please let me know if you have more information to include. I would gladly like to expand my knowledge! :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

A gasp of sigh, soft and quiet against his skin, tickled him gently. An intake of breath full of fresh linen and a hint of citrus, filled his nostril. Warmth encased him comfortably. He snuggled closer, looping an arm around Sasuke's torso. Naruto stirred awake despite the comfort, finding himself tucked into Sasuke's arms, his face nuzzled into the other man's chest, legs tangled under the thin sheet. Sasuke's arm wrapped around him possessively. He waited for a second, then slowly untangled himself. The creaking of the bed made him stop for a moment, but a glance to the slumbering raven haired man showed he hadn't stirred. Another bated breath and he started moving again, inching his way out of the man's hold. After he freed himself, Naruto propped himself up with his arm, his head resting in the palm his hand as he stared down at Sasuke's sleeping face. Temptation pulled his free hand forward, brushing away locks of black hair, giving him full view of Sasuke's face. His fingers tucked stray strands behind his ears. A smile fluttered across his lips as Sasuke murmured in his sleep, his head shifting slightly, more into the pillow. Naruto chuckled softly. He leaned down, placing a kiss on Sasuke's temple.

It had been weeks since their last argument and as they had promised one another, they started taking baby steps. Sasuke was still somewhat skittish with the touching in public, but he was open to more touches than before. The children, though, was a different matter. Naruto could be patient. He was just glad Sasuke wasn't going to analyze every look people sent their way. Another smile and he was rolling away to get up, but a hand caught on his shirt, tugging him back to bed. He quietly yelped, facing Sasuke and finding his sleepy eyes on him.

"Morning," he greeted.

"Morning." Sasuke yawned, rubbing his eyes. "A little early for you to get up, don't you think?"

"Surprising, yeah? But I think I might like getting up early. I get to see your sleeping face."

Sasuke blushed, a pink flush scattering across his pale cheeks. Naruto grinned. He loved Sasuke's blushing face, the way how the pink colored all the way to his ear. Sasuke's pale skin tended to make them more noticeable. He may have stared too long as Sasuke rolled away. Instead of getting up like he intended to, Naruto followed after Sasuke, pulling him back into bed and rolling on top of him.

"Oomph, you're heavy, Naruto," Sasuke grunted.

Suddenly, Naruto was pushed off. He rolled back to his side, gasping a huff as Sasuke rolled on top of him, straddling him. Looking up at the other man, he grinned mischievously. He rolled his hips, bed squeaking under his maneuver. In return, Sasuke raised a brow, smacking him playfully on the chest.

"You're a man child," Sasuke drawled.

Snickering, Naruto tugged Sasuke down for a kiss. Their lips were inches away when the sound of the bedroom door opening caught his attention. Sasuke rolled away quickly, landing softly on the floor, but Naruto got tangled up in the sheets and rolled off the bed. He fell with a thump, yelping, but surprisingly didn't feel too much pain. He finally untangled himself and realized he had fallen on top of the futon where Sasuke supposedly slept. Truthfully, the futon was just a front for the children. They still hadn't resolved the discussion to tell the children, so the futon on the floor was a way of pretending nothing was going on between them if the children ever did happen to come into the room.

"Daddy?" Himawari's voice floated through the room.

"He's on the floor," Sasuke answered, stifling a huff of laughter.

"Again? Daddy you're very clumsy."

The bed creaked as Himawari climbed on it to peek over the edge on the side he had fallen over. Naruto looked up at her, sheepishly smiling. "You're up early."

"I'm always up early," Himawari replied with a big smile.

"But it's summer break."

"And that's why. Let's go to the beach!" She sat up immediately, turning her attention to Sasuke.

Naruto blinked. He shifted around to tug the rest of the sheet free from his limbs. He stood up slowly, lifting his head from Himawari to Sasuke. He didn't mind, but he wasn't sure if Sasuke had wanted to go. The raven haired man didn't favor crowds and often liked secluded places. Without being told, he could see the hesitance in Sasuke's face. Not wanting Sasuke to look like the bad guy, Naruto turned to Himawari and sat on the bed. It dipped under his weight and Himawari rolled into his arms. He was about to reject the idea when Himawari looked up, her big, blue round eyes pleading. He bit back the automatic 'yes,' closing his eyes and turning away. Suddenly, a better idea came into mind. Sasuke liked secluded places; he knew the perfect place.

"How about we visit grandpa Iruka and Kakashi instead? We can go to the river," Naruto suggested.

"You mean _that_ river?!" Himawari perked up, sitting up on her knees. Her face beamed brightly in excitement. "Can grandpa Iruka and grandpa Kakashi come with us, too?"

"Sure."

"Yes! I'm going to tell big brother and big sister Sarada!"

Himawari clambered off the bed, rushing out the door to tell them the news. Naruto chuckled, then turned to Sasuke who was completely uncomfortable. He smiled at him. "It's a secret spot where Hinata and I use to go when we were dating. When the kids were big enough, we took them there for the summer. After Hinata's passing, it took some time for us to visit because we were still grieving, but now it's a place filled with good memories. It's very secluded...a bit in the mountains, but it's beautiful. The trees and the water...I think you'll like it," he said.

"And your parents?" Sasuke asked.

"Ah..." Naruto rubbed that back of his neck, "I'm not...I mean, I don't mean to say that we should tell my parents. Even I'm a little hesitant toward that." An awkward silence fell over them. Naruto looked away, unsettled.

Sasuke sighed, breaking their silence. He walked over to the bed and sat down beside him. Naruto felt his arms wrap around his neck, pulling him so they faced each other. Sasuke pressed their foreheads together, huffing a laugh in the process. "I feel like every time we take two steps forward, we take another step back. I'm going to face it. If your parents find out, then we'll deal with it. They'll understand, right?"

"I'm sure they will," Naruto replied. They kissed briefly. Reluctantly, Naruto pulled away to get ready.

To Naruto's surprise, he found out Sasuke actually had a driver's license. Because it was a bit expensive to afford a car, Sasuke never bought one. And since Naruto didn't have a license or a car, the two ended up renting one for the time they were going to visit Iruka and Kakashi. Once he called his parents to let them he was visiting and everything was packed into the car, they set out on their drive. Himawari spoke excitedly about the small village his parents lived in and all the adventures they had in the mountains. It was heart warming to see his daughter brightly speaking of a place where memories of Hinata lay. But nowadays, Naruto didn't think much of the times when she was bedridden or too sick to go out. Perhaps it was Sasuke being there, but either way, he was glad now that when he though of his late wife, a warm pleasant feel settle deep in his heart.

Hours into the drive, the children had fallen asleep. Naruto glanced into the rear view mirror to see Himawari and Sarada resting against each other while Boruto's head rested against the side door, drool evident on the side of his mouth. Naruto chuckled. He flicked his gaze to Sasuke who was busily keeping his eyes on the road. He made one more check at the mirror before he moved his hand and placed it near the gear stick. He could see Sasuke's dark eyes notice it, flicking back and forth between his resting hand and the street. After a few minutes, Sasuke lifted one hand and gently placed it over his. Their fingers intertwined, making Naruto give a goofy smile. Sasuke's lips lifted upward as well. They remained in a companionable silence. Naruto turned his attention back the passing scenery. He sighed contently, hoping the rest of their days would be just like now.

"So, is it really true that you fought a wild boar with your bare hands to protect Hinata?" Sasuke asked amusingly.

Naruto flushed. "Himawari's stories are a little...exaggerated. The wild boar was actually pretty small, but...well, Himawari was small at that time too and she most likely remembered it as being big to her. We had been hiking to the river and Hinata was holding Himawari. Boruto was right next to her. The boar appeared out of no where and started charging, but honestly, it was a small thing and I really just tried to grab and toss it. Let's just say, I sported quite the scar on my leg for my heroic action though."

Sasuke huffed a laugh and as if spurred by the moment, he raised Naruto's intertwined hand to his lips and tenderly kissed the back. "A hero, indeed."

Lost for words, Naruto felt his cheeks heat. It was moments like these that surprised Naruto the most because Sasuke never tended to show his emotions. When he hadn't reply, Sasuke grew concerned. And then Naruto saw the realization dawn on his face. A slight widening of his eyes, then a slight blush over his cheeks. His eyes immediately reverted to the road. Naruto smiled again. He checked the rear view mirror one more time, then quickly leaned across the tan center console, and kissed Sasuke briskly on the cheek. When he returned to his seat, he saw Sasuke's blush had reached his ears. "I like you," he blurted on the spur of the moment.

Sasuke's attention was on him again, but only or a brief moment before it returned to the road. He was silent which unnerved Naruto. Then he slowly lifted his lips in a smile. "You're..." Sasuke sighed, "you're so cheesy sometimes."

Returning Sasuke's rare smiles with one of his own, he lifted the other man's hand and kissed the back of it too. "I like you," he repeated and kiss the hand again. He repeatedly did it making Sasuke huff a laugh.

"Stop it. You're going to wake up the kids." Sasuke rolled his eyes, but never made a move to pull his hand away.

"I like you..." Naruto whispered one more time.

This time, Sasuke looked at him longer. "I like you too," he replied, another flush coloring his pale skin as he looked away. "Now stop it. This is getting awkward."

Chuckling, Naruto made for one last kiss and then released his hands. The car ride resumed its silence, breaking when they stopped for gas and the children woke up again. The rest of the ride to his parents house was filled with the kids excitedly talking again and singing. Himawari even persuaded Sasuke to sing along which awed Naruto. Sasuke turned out to be a good singer as well. Naruto sighed, catching the other man's attention. Sasuke's harmonic voice ceased, his brow furrowing in worry. "Ah, don't stop!" Naruto said.

"Why?" Sasuke asked.

"You have a nice voice. Doesn't he, kids?"

"Yes!" All three answered together.

"See?" Naruto smiled. "I really shouldn't be surprised by the things you can do."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked.

"You're good at everything."

"Not true."

"Name one thing you can't do."

"I...I can't cook ramen as well as you do. It's tastier than what I can make."

"That's because ramen is the only thing he can make," Boruto blurted.

"Hey!" Naruto playfully frowned at his son. "You're suppose to be on my side!" From the corner of his eyes, he could see Sasuke shaking his head, but he was smiling again which made him smile too.

They eventually made it to his parents house. As soon as the car came to a stop, Himawari unbuckled her seat belt, climbed over Boruto and burst out the car. Just as she stepped out, the front door to his parents' house opened. Iruka came out, smiling widely with open arms. Himarwari ran straight into his arms, greeting him. Naruto laughed, seeing Boruto do the same. His son did always try to act mature, but he was still very much a child. Sarada was right behind Boruto and from what he could see, it looked like his children were already taking care of the introduction. He unbuckled as well, but as he was about to get out, he noticed Sasuke hesitantly looking out the window. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yes...just nervous," Sasuke replied.

"Why?"

Sasuke gave him an incredulous look. "These are your parents and I'll be meeting them."

"Oh...ah, well...they're not bad people."

"I know. For a couple to be able to raise someone as amazing as you, I don't think they're bad at all."

Blushing, Naruto turned his head away. He looked back out the window, noticing that Kakashi had joined the kids. He turned back to Sasuke, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. "It'll be fine. We'll be fine."

"Yeah." Sasuke agreed.

He got out of the car with Sasuke following suit. Naruto was greeted by Iruka first, then Kakashi. Sasuke walked around the car, joining him. "This is Uchiha Sasuke, my neighbor. Sasuke, these two are my parents, Umino Iruka and Hatake Kakashi."

Sasuke shook their hands, bowing slightly. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too. You have a wonderful daughter," Iruka replied.

"Thank you."

After introductions, they unpacked the car and Iruka ushered everyone into the house. They settled down, making sleeping arrangements. Because Iruka and Kakashi only had one guest room, the children were to sleep in the room while Sasuke and Naruto slept in the living room. Naruto didn't mind. At least he was able to sleep beside Sasuke.

When the kids asked to go to the river, Naruto decided they should rest for the day and then go tomorrow. They could prepare snacks and would have the whole day instead. Luckily, the children agreed to his idea, then rushed off to play outside. Himawari had wanted to show Sarada all their secret hideouts. Naruto smiled, watching them run off. It was also the first time he had seen Sarada laughing openly.

"Thank you," Sasuke whispered next to him, surprising him slightly.

Naruto tilted his head. "For what?"

"Inviting me...us. I haven't seen Sarada smile like that before. I'm thankful because ever since I got to know you and your family, Sarada has become brighter. So, thank you."

"Well, I gotta thank you too. Because ever since getting to know you and Sarada, my cooking is getting better and Himawari and Boruto are more open now too."

"What do you mean by that?" Iruka interrupted them.

"Dad! Oh, uh..." Naruto shifted uncomfortably. Sighing, he sat down at the table and explained how he had met Sasuke and how they arranged to meet over the weekend to practice cooking, including the fact that Sasuke actually cooked extra helpings for the children and him.

Iruka and Kakashi stared at him, but it was Iruka who was the first to turn to Sasuke, apologizing profusely. After a lecture from Iruka while Kakashi merely chuckled away at the situation, Iruka finally went to put on some tea for them. Sasuke offered to help, despite Iruka refusal. In the end, the two wounded up in the kitchen making snacks while Naruto sat in the dining chair across from Kakashi who returned to reading. He twiddled with his thumbs, trying his best not to look at Sasuke, but his eyes soon wandered over to the raven haired man. He watched him, the same way he did when Sasuke was cooking in the kitchen at his apartment. It was the way he moved, easily getting around even though it was his first time here. It was how quiet his footsteps were, gentle and silent. Everything about him caught Naruto's gaze and he couldn't look away. How he wished he could kiss him now.

Another pair of eyes were on him. He could feel it. Naruto didn't want to look away, but he slowly did anyways and found Kakashi staring at him. He blinked. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing." Kakashi shrugged, then set the book down. "How are you doing?"

"Better."

"And how's your job?"

"It's good. Teuchi teaches me a lot of stuff. I have to wake up really early though if I want to make it there when Teuchi opens and starts cooking the broth. Sometimes I have to stay late too to help clean and close up. Sometimes I don't even get home until midnight. I'm glad to know Sasuke is there to look out for Boruto and Himawari when I'm not."

"Hmm. He seems like a good guy." Kakashi turned in his seat to peer into the kitchen. Sasuke and Iruka seem to be getting along really well.

"He is. He's taught me a lot of stuff about cooking too, so I won't just be feeding the kids ramen every night."

"That's good, but I'm surprise he would go out his way to cook almost every night for you and the children."

"We, uh, we hit it off really well."

"And why is that?" Kakashi was looking at him again as if he knew Naruto was hiding something.

For a moment, Naruto was transported back to when he was a child and had done something he shouldn't have. He squirmed under his watchful gaze. Naruto pressed his lips together, not sure how he could answer without giving away his new relationship with Sasuke. "That is-"

"Here's tea," Iruka said, interrupting the interrogation.

Naruto let out a breath of relief. He caught Sasuke giving him a questioning look, but smiled it off. All four of them sat down, quietly sipping tea while munching on the snacks. He was munching on a persimmon slice when Iruka spoke up.

"So, Uchiha-san, where do you work?" Iruka asked.

"I'm a salesman. I work at Harada Corporation. We sell insurance," Sasuke replied. He took a sip of his tea, sighing quietly when he set the cup back down.

"Oh? What kind of insurance?" Kakashi asked.

"Health insurance."

"Ahh...Kakashi and I have NHI." Iruka said thoughtfully. "I didn't think we could afford any private insurances."

"NHI is good. What about you, Naruto? I never got to ask. Does Teuchi provide employment health insurance?" Sasuke turned to him.

"Ah, no. I'm also enrolled with NHI," Naruto replied.

Their conversation turned to the topic of health insurance and considering which was better. Sasuke mentioned his job also provided health insurance for individuals, though they mostly invest in working corporations like construction companies. Sasuke suddenly turned to Naruto. "I think I'll look into an insurance plan for you with my work place."

Confused, Naruto asked, "What for?"

"NHI doesn't cover work related injuries and since Teuchi doesn't provide employer insurance that can help out with family members, I'm sure I can find a plan which can cover you as well as the children with better benefits."

"You really look out for my son," Iruka said thoughtfully with a smile. He reached out his hand to squeeze Sasuke's hand. "Thank you."

Flushing, Sasuke looked toward the table, "It's no problem."

However, Iruka's next question came out of the blue. "Uchiha-san, are you divorced?" he asked curiously.

Naruto blinked, taken aback. Kakashi, he understood to be more blunt, but Iruka had never been the type to ask such a question up front. He wondered why his dad was suddenly curious about Sasuke. And then he frowned, angry that Iruka had asked the question in the first place. He opened his mouth to tell his dad not to get nosy, but Sasuke answered first.

"My wife actually passed away seven years ago. Sarada was five then..." Sasuke folded his hands atop the flat surface of the table. He stared at it for sometime, which worried Naruto, but then he looked up; his eyes no longer seemed far away in thought whenever Sakura was mentioned. "She was a good wife and a great mother. But since her passing, Sarada became very reserved. I'm happy to have become friends with your son and your grandchildren. They're all such bright people. They've changed my and Sarada's life. I can't thank them enough. You've raised a fine son."

"Oh." Iruka flushed as he laughed. "I'm glad they've helped you and Sarada."

"Daaaaaad!" Boruto's voice rang from the living room, "we're hungry!"

All four men burst into a chuckle. Iruka got up, deciding it was time to cook dinner. He forced Naruto to help out as means to practice his new cooking skills. Sasuke even urged him to try. As he reluctantly walked into the kitchen, he caught Sasuke smiling as he spoke with Kakashi. He looked more relaxed than when they first got here. He grinned, glad that Sasuke could feel comfortable around his family. He turned in time to catch Iruka curiously staring at him. Naruto quickly wiped his grin off. Embarrassed, he looked away from his dad and went to grab the utensils for cooking. Throughout the process, he could feel Iruka's eyes on him, casting inquisitive looks at him. He squirmed, trying his best to make sure his back faced his dad so he couldn't see his expression.

Even as they got to cooking, he could see Iruka glancing at him from the corner of his eyes. He worried he had given away too much hints and made himself suspicious. Yet, he tried his best to ignore him, hoping Iruka would drop his curiosity. Thankfully, Iruka did. They finished cooking and dinner was set with the help of the children. Naruto breathed another sigh of relief.

After dinner, they all got ready for bed. Futons were set out for him and Sasuke in the living. Once everyone went to bed, he lay on his side, waiting for Sasuke to join him. A few minutes passed and Sasuke finally did, pulling the blanket over himself. The two of them lay in silence on their back. He let a few more minutes ticked by before he rolled onto his side to face Sasuke. "So, what do you think of my parents?" he asked quietly.

Sasuke rolled over to face him too. "They're good people. They're really nice. I like them and I think Sarada likes them too. You have great parents."

Naruto grinned. "Yeah." Lifting his hand, he took Sasuke's hand into his and squeezed it. "I'm happy you got to meet them...even if I didn't get to introduce you as my lover. Maybe one day I will, but until then, you'll be the friend who has a big heart."

"I don't have a big heart."

"Yes, you do. If you didn't, you wouldn't have helped me out the first time you saw me drunkenly asleep on the stairs or even bothered to cook for me and my children. You have a big heart and I like you for that. So, thank you."

Sasuke huffed a laugh, his head rolling into the pillow. "How many times are we going to thank each other?"

"Many times over. I'm thankful for having met you; thankful that I fell for you; thankful that every day of our lives are filled with laughter and happiness despite the few bumps in the road; thankful for this..."

Naruto sighed contently. He scooted closer, his hand releasing Sasuke's and instead cupped the nape of his neck. He tugged Sasuke closer to himself, then kissed him tenderly. The kiss was sweet and gentle, but Naruto wanted Sasuke to understand his love wasn't just sweet. It was passion and fire, burning far deeper than he knew. He flicked his tongue, licking the seam of Sasuke's lips. His raven haired lover opened for him, turning their kiss heated. Tongues slipped and slid over one another, caressing the hot cavern of their mouths. Sasuke moaned, urging Naruto to kiss deeper. The air grew short, forcing them apart. Naruto took a breath, heard Sasuke do the same, and then they were kissing again, mouths frantic. Naruto pulled them closer till their thighs pressed against each other and their chest meshed. He slipped a hand under Sasuke's shirt and tugged it off, followed by his own. He toss both to the side before returning to trail his fingertips over trembling, taut muscles. Up and up till he found the soft nub and pinched. He fondled it between his fingers, feeling the nipple harden under them. He pinched and rolled, persistently continuing his ministration as Sasuke quietly moaned. Suddenly, Sasuke threw a leg over his thighs, thrusting to create friction between their now erect manhood. Naruto groaned, trying his best to keep quiet for fear of waking up the kids or his parents. He pulled the blankets away and crawled over Sasuke, straddling him. Tugging his shorts down, he did the same to Sasuke. He watched in fascination as Sasuke's cock sprung up. He licked his lips, never before having been so turned on in his life. His eyes took in every detail from bottom to top. When their gaze met, Sasuke was blushing a bright red.

"Don't look too much," he whispered, his voice quivering.

"I like looking," Naruto said. "You're beautiful."

Sasuke huffed. "I rather like the word handsome."

Naruto smirked. "Beautiful, handsome, and sexy."

"Stop with the compliments. You're embarrassing me."

"I love embarrassing you."

"Hnn," Sasuke murmured.

Sasuke glanced down, then lifted his gaze, staring up at him from under long, black eyelashes. His lips twitched into a slow, sly smile. Black eyes flashed mischievously. His legs moved quickly, pushing up and relocating Naruto's sitting position. He found himself sitting near Sasuke's loins. The hard press of Sasuke's prick slid between the slit of his buttocks. He gulped, his throat suddenly dry and his mind filled of sensual thought. Shakily, he sat up straighter. He testily ground his butt down onto Sasuke's cock. He gasped. A shock of pleasure prickled his skin. The sight of Sasuke's aroused face elicited another moan. His head lolled back, a throaty groan echoed from his mouth as Sasuke turned his attention to his aching cock. He traced a finger from base to tip, rubbed the slit of the head, then wrapped his hand around it. He huffed, biting his lower lip and hunching over while Sasuke started to pump his dick. Slow and gentle, then faster and gripping slightly tighter. Another hand was on his balls, pulling and tugging. Sweat slid from his forehead, down to his chin. It dripped, a quiet patter onto Sasuke's milk white skin. Naruto's mouth open, a loud moan nearly escaped, but was instantly muffled with a kiss that was mostly a dance of tongues sliding and swirling over each other. A surge of tingles exploded from his fingertips and toes, scattering throughout his body. Naruto came hard, grunting and thrusting into Sasuke's hand. A full minute pass before he finally came down from his natural high of ecstasy. Their kiss broke and Naruto slumped forward. Exhaustion took place over his pleasure.

"Not so young anymore," he muttered, "but damn, I haven't come like that in ages."

Sasuke huffed a laugh. "You had a nice expression."

Blushing, Naruto nudged Sasuke in the stomach. "That's embarrassing."

"Now you know how I feel."

Sighing contently, he moved to roll off. But the moment he did, he felt the hard slide of Sasuke's penis against his ass. Naruto's eyebrows rose. "Oh."

Now it was Sasuke blushing again.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to forget about your pleasure," Naruto said apologetically. He scooted down till he was facing Sasuke's arousal.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked in a surprise hiss.

"Pleasuring you."

"A hand job is fine, but this...I mean, we've never...you know, we've never actually discussed _this_."

"Okay...well, I'm going to give you a blow job. There. Discussion done." Naruto took hold of Sasuke's cock, rubbing tenderly and feeling the heat of it through his skin. He lowered his head, sniffing the newly fresh scent of soap mixed with musk. His mouth water. He wanted to lick Sasuke, taste it, and feel its hardness. Just the thought of having him in his mouth nearly turned him on again.

"St-stop!" Sasuke pressed a hand on Naruto's forehead, preventing him further movement.

Arching a brow, Naruto asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Naruto...this is your first time doing this, right?"

"Yeah."

"So...you can just take another man's cock into your mouth without questioning anything?"

"What's there to question?"

Sasuke sighed. "Babe, sometimes I wonder what goes through your mind."

"Funny, I think the same thing." Naruto grinned.

"I _mean_ , this is your... _our_ , first time with another man. I just thought it might disgust you if you...well, take a man's cock into your mouth. Which also brings up the other question. Sex. We've never bottom. And-"

Naruto cut him off with a kiss. He pulled back, cupping his face. "If it's you, I'll never be disgusted. I like you, Sasuke. A lot. I want you to feel pleasure, I want you to feel _good_. And we can always learn as we go. That's what the internet is for...and books, but you know me, I don't really read, so that might have to fall on you to find out. As for anal penetration...not every gay couple needs to penetrate to feel good for sex. But if we do decide to and you're still nervous, I don't mind bottoming first."

Sasuke stared at him, his expression hard to read as usual. Then his lover sighed, kissing him once more. "You would do that for me?"

"Of course. Anything for you."

"...Be careful with you words." Sasuke smirked.

Naruto smiled, then returned a smirk of his own as his hand sneaked down to wrap around Sasuke's still engorged cock. Sasuke gasped under him, arching beautifully. "Now then, I think I still have something big to take care of."

"Be mindful of your teeth." Sasuke rasped through gritted teeth.

"And here I thought you would like it kinky." Naruto joked. He slithered his way down, memorizing every inch of Sasuke's body, what made him twitch, which parts made him gasp and sigh. Naruto soaked it in. His tongue licked his lower lip as he returned to his main goal, Sasuke's proud standing cock, bulging with thick veins and ready to be eaten. "So beautiful."

"That's just weird," Sasuke said breathlessly. "A penis cannot be beautiful."

Naruto chuckled throatily. He wrapped a hand around it, stroking leisurely. It was his first time giving a blow job, but if there was one thing he was good at, it was being observant. Every detail of Hinata doing this for him, he took note of what she did to please him. This time, he would do the same for Sasuke. His finger ghost over his lover's inner thighs, watching in awe as it trembled beneath his touch. He flicked his tongue along the skin, tasting soap and sweat. It only made him want more. He licked a trail up to Sasuke's groin where leg and hip joined, tasting between the crease before he made his way back down to the dangle of testicles. He waited a moment, taking in the view of Sasuke's shivering body. And then he dipped his head, taking one ball into his mouth. He heard Sasuke hiss and taking it as a sign, he sucked harder, rolling and licking, then switching to the other one to repeat.

By the time he pulled away, Sasuke was heaving heavily. Naruto smiled, beaming with pride that he was the one who had undone Sasuke. With a finger, he traced up and down his lover's cock. Slowly, he stuck out his tongue and licked the head of the length. Sasuke jolted. Naruto pulled back, huffed a breath on it and smiled as his lover twitched.

"Naruto, please..." Sasuke begged under his breath, "no more teasing."

"I want you to beg me," Naruto said, a rush of excitement in his veins.

Sasuke grunted, arching slightly. "N-no."

"Then I guess you can wait." Naruto smirked, tickling Sasuke's cock once more with his fingertips.

"Nnngh, Naruto, you bastard. Who knew you can be sadistic," Sasuke growled, lifting his head to scowl at him.

"I'm getting a little drunk on this power." He grinned mischievously at the raven haired man.

Huffing, Sasuke dropped his head with a low moan. "P-please...please."

"Please what?"

"Please suck me."

Laughing quietly, Naruto took the cock into his mouth, lips tightening around the excited manhood and taking it as deep as he could go before dragging his mouth back up the length. Sasuke was all but writhing under him now. Breathing through his nose, Naruto took the length back into his mouth. Up. Down. Up. He bobbed his head, tongue flat against the underside of the cock, sliding and tasting the bitter, saltiness of precum. His hand stroked and twisted around the base of the member. Drool slicked the cock, pooling around his hand and dripping down to the neatly trimmed pubic hair. He tilted his head to the side, letting the tip of the cock brush into the cavity of his cheeks, making it bulge. He sucked and the slurping noise echoed loudly in the quiet living room. The tug of fingers running through his sweat laden hair was sensual and exciting as if the lost of control over what current power he had was even better. He grunted when Sasuke's gentle brush turned into a harder grip, tugging and nearly pulling his mouth away from his feast. His mouth sucking on the crown, he growled, glancing up to see Sasuke watching him. His lover's eyes were glazed over in lust, his pink lips open and panting, small noises of moans escaping every now and then. Hidden behind those luster filled eyes was a carnal desire. Seeing him in that state, Naruto's own cock began to rise again. Moaning, Naruto gripped his own cock in his hand and began masturbating to the sight of his lover while taking him deeper. He couldn't quite do it yet, but it was enough to have his throat tighten around the engorge cock. Naruto hummed and felt Sasuke still momentarily. His raven hair lover's breath hitches, his legs tightening to reveal toned muscles.

"Naruto, let go," Sasuke growled.

But Naruto didn't let go. He wanted to taste Sasuke. He shut his eyes and waited. A beat later, the hot splash of cum coated the back of his throat. Bitter and salty, it invade his sense of taste. And he loved it. He sucked harder, taking every last bit of cum before he heard Sasuke hiss from the sensitivity and released the softening prick with a pop. Naruto licked his lips, not letting a single drop go to waste all the while jerking his hard length. He leaned back with his free hand supporting him. Sasuke was suddenly in his view, kissing him deeply and helping him jerk off. He came a moment later, grunting into their kiss.

Exhausted, the two of them fell onto the futon. Their breaths heaved heavily, but eventually evened out. Naruto rolled onto his back, ready to fall asleep.

"...Ugh, I just tasted myself on you," Sasuke murmured.

Chuckling, Naruto lolled his head to the side. "I love your taste."

"You're weird."

"You're weirder for kissing me after you knew I just drank all your jizz."

"But you looked sexy jerking off." Sasuke blushed, turning his gaze away.

Smiling, Naruto scooted closer to him. He turned Sasuke's head so they were face to face. He kissed him one, then twice, and again and again. Sighing, Naruto rubbed his forehead against the other. "We should clean up."

"Yes."

"So tired though..."

"Is this your way of telling me get up and clean, old man?"

"Hey, you're an old man too." Naruto pouted.

Sasuke huffed a laugh, but eventually got up to clean their mess. Wiped down and clothed once more, the two of them settled back into bed and fell asleep.

Morning came much faster than he expected and it would have been a beautiful morning, if only he hadn't been woken up roughly. Naruto yelped in pain as Boruto jumped on him, crushing into his abdomen. Naruto groaned in pain, rolling to his side. He could hear Himawari and Sarada berating his son.

"But it's the best way to wake him up," Boruto said in his defense.

"Boruto, you know better than to do that," Sasuke chided. "Your dad isn't as young as he use to be."

"Hey!" Naruto yelled hoarsely as he sat up.

Sasuke smiled at him. "And he needs care, not to be treated roughly. Okay?"

"Okaaay," Boruto answered, thoroughly scolded.

"Wow, you're really good with the kids," Iruka noted as he came out of the kitchen with fresh miso soup.

"Not really," Sasuke mumbled, suddenly embarrassed. "I get the feeling Boruto is a lot like Naruto."

"He is," Kakashi answered from the table. "Exactly the same."

"I am not! I'm cooler than dad!" Boruto exclaimed. "Ouch!"

Naruto lightly smacked Boruto on the head. He winced in pain, rubbing the painful twinge of his stomach.

"Sorry, dad," Boruto mumbled.

Shaking his head, Naruto ruffled his son's hair. "It's fine. Thanks for waking me up." He smiled at his son, ruffling his hair one more time before he made his way to the bathroom. On his way there, Sasuke caught up with him. A tug on his arm stopped him in his tracks. He raised a brow at his lover. Sasuke flicked a look over to the others, then pushed him farther down the hallway, away from their peering eyes. Surprised, Naruto stumbled and smacked into the wall softly. His eyes widen as Sasuke pressed his lips against his. His stomach flutter and his heart thudded loudly against his chest. Naruto felt like a teenager all over again, trying to secretly steal a kiss without his parents finding out. When Sasuke pulled away, he arched a brow questioningly.

"Just wanted to check you're okay," Sasuke whispered.

"I'm good," Naruto replied, then smiled as the memories of what they did last night came back. Sasuke seem to catch on, playfully smacking his arm. Naruto giggle and pulled Sasuke into his arms. "I feel like we're doing something bad."

"It's not suppose to be though."

"No." Naruto smiled sweetly, leaning to place a kiss on Sasuke's forehead. "What are we, a couple of thirty year old men re-living their days as youths?"

"Not that young anymore."

"Last night told a different story." Naruto wiggled his eyebrows, making Sasuke laugh under his breath.

Sasuke pushed himself away. "I'm going to let you go now."

"What if I don't want to let you?"

"Then you'll have a lot to explain to your parents why I'm not back there yet."

Groaning, Naruto ran his fingers through his short cropped hair. "I'm definitely going to introduce you to my dads as my boyfriend soon."

"We don't have to rush." Sasuke kissed him gently on the cheek. "We can take our time."

The soft kiss to his cheek made his heart flutter more than it should have. Affection, sweet as candy, touched him deeply. Passion, burning like fire rumbled somewhere in the pit of his stomach too. Their relationship was going somewhere far more deeper and faster than he expected. He could even say he loved the raven haired man, but did Sasuke love him? And more importantly, was it still too early to even say those three important words? Culturally, he should be reserve, but more than anything, right at the moment, he wanted to declare his love to the man standing before him. He wanted to hold him tightly, whisper loving words, and tell his family this was the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He wanted Sasuke to become apart of his family, to watch him be a father to his children as well, and to grow old with him. The future was bright and right in front of his eyes. He could almost grasp it. A smile formed over his lips. "You're getting better at showing your emotions and taking the initiative."

"I am?" Sasuke asked. His brows furrowed a bit.

"Yes."

"Oh."

"Don't change too much though. I like your broody expression."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and nudged him. "Go wash up. Himawari was up early and jumping with excitement. Don't make your daughter wait."

Naruto hummed in response. He made his way to the bathroom once more. As soon as Sasuke was out of sight, Naruto slumped against the wall. His heart beated quickly and his hands shook nervously. Now that he could see what he wanted, he craved it more. He wanted to tell everything to Sasuke, to make him truly his, but he held himself back because the one thing he feared most of all was losing Sasuke.

* * *

 **A/N:** DX Late update, but here it is.

I try my best to pace the romance and try to grow their relationship. Least to say, I can get a little impatient too. ( '-' ) I mean, a relationship has gotta have some passion in there too, right? Or am I just being a perv here? ( ' v ' ) Oh well! Hope the chapter was enjoyable.

Oh! I almost forgot. NHI stands for National Health Insurance which is, well, Japan's national health insurance. Any citizen, including foreigners who reside in Japan for more than 3 months, and do not have employer's health insurance, must sign up for NHI. Co-payment cost after using a medical facility is based off of a 10% or 30% depending on their income. I tried my best to research and hope this was enough information. Well, Sasuke's job won't really be mentioned much after this...just that he's a salesman and needs to meet his quota.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

As soon as breakfast was done, Iruka started preparing lunch to be packed for their excursion to the river. While his father prepared the food, Naruto packed extra clothes, towels, and sunblock. He didn't want to carry too much as the trek to the river could only be by foot. Despite knowing this, Iruka urged Naruto and Kakashi to bring along two umbrellas. They tried to dissuade him, but Iruka wouldn't take no for an answer. Sighing, Naruto packed two large umbrellas. Only half was stuffed inside the bag, but it was better than carrying them by hand.

Once everything was packed away and everyone dressed properly, they headed out. Naruto had warned Sasuke it would be a bit of a walk, but his lover didn't show any concern. He wondered briefly if it was going to be okay as Sasuke and Sarada grew up in the city. However, much to his surprise, Sasuke and his daughter didn't break a sweat even though it was hot and humid. Naruto was mildly impressed. Unlike his raven haired neighbor though, Naruto was already sweating. He wiped his forehead, clearing the sheen of perspiration. Grabbing the collar of his shirt, he flapped it, creating a small wind to cool him down. Glancing up, Naruto squinted at the sprinkle of sunlight beaming through the boughs and leaves of the trees. He almost forgotten how tiring it was to get to the river, but the end result was always worth it.

Suddenly, a rush of breeze kissed his skin. Blinking, he looked to the side to find Sasuke waving a paper fan in his direction. Naruto blinked again, then he broke into a smile. If only his parents and the children weren't around, he would have kissed Sasuke.

"Didn't you grow up in the countryside?" asked Sasuke teasingly.

"Or maybe you're just not a human," Naruto grumbled.

Sasuke huffed a laugh, but let it go. He continued fanning him, but Naruto felt guilty he was making Sasuke do all the work. He reached out and grabbed the fan. Ignoring the raised questioning brow, Naruto began fanning him instead. "I thought we should switch."

"But you're sweating more than me," Sasuke argued.

"But it's gotten better thanks to you. Returning the favor."

The trek took them up a hill, then down a slope, and up once more. They climbed wooden steps that were placed on the trail long before they ever moved there. Their feet stepped over rocks and roots, crunching the dried foliage. Cicadas sung loudly, deafening his ears and nearly drowning out the chirping of birds. A tree branch shuttered, crackling from the movement of a bird taking flight. Naruto glanced up, shielding his eyes briefly from sunlight breaking through the tiny cracks of the leaf filled boughs of trees. He sighed as another cool blast of air washed over him. Looking over to Sasuke who had once again taken the position of fanning, he smiled gratefully.

They rounded a corner to another sloping descent where they heard the sound of rushing water. A few feet more and passing a bushel of trees, the river came into view. Even though he had seen it many times before, the sight of the cool teal water with bright green trees surrounding the other side of the bank was still as beautiful as ever. The children squealed and shouted excitedly. They rushed ahead, jumping down the last of the slope. Boruto peeled off his shirt and ran into the water, diving head first. Himawari and Sarada took a bit longer, taking off layers of clothes to reveal their bathing suits under. Sarada helped Himawari tie her hair, then the two girls were running and splashing into the water to join Boruto.

Naruto caught up to the children after handing over the items he was carrying. He picked up their clothes while the other three adults began setting up their camp. He caught the sight of the children grinning and couldn't help but smile himself. He'd have to plan more trips together if he got to see them as happy as they were now.

Finally done with picking up the discarded clothes, he walked back to the temporary set up camp. A quilt was laid down and the two umbrellas stuck to the ground behind it, giving some shade. Kakashi had taken the watermelon to be cooled in the river while Iruka set the cooler under the shade of the umbrella. Naruto had just finished putting the kids' clothes into the backpack when Sasuke removed his shirt. He nearly dropped the bag, but caught it and carefully set it back down. He swallowed, trying his best to keep his eyes averted from the sight of his lovely neighbor. He sat down, hoping to distract himself, however, the temptation to look won over his control. Naruto flicked his gaze over to the other, sweeping the image of the man from head to toe. Although he had already seen all of Sasuke last night, seeing him in broad daylight in nothing but swim trunks was different.

He stared blatantly, no longer caring if he got caught. Sasuke's pale, smooth skin shimmered from the light sheen of sweat; his muscles rippling as he moved. Naruto gulped. He hadn't marked Sasuke the night before, but now he wished he had. He wanted to see the bruises of his bites, claiming Sasuke as his. His mind wander lustily where to mark him the next time. Thighs—especially his inner thighs—near the groin where he could tease the raven haired man into soft whimpers. His abdomen which would quiver and tighten with every lick of his tongue. His chest, nipples, shoulders, and finally his neck, biting hard enough to feel the rapid pulse of his heartbeat. Naruto's mouth watered. He wanted to taste Sasuke again. His gaze traveled up and stopped. Their gaze met. One look and he could tell Sasuke knew what he was thinking. Heat and lust flashed through his onyx eyes, returning Naruto's hunger with his own. Smiling, Naruto licked his lips slowly. Sasuke blushed.

"Naruto!" Iruka's voice broke through his trance.

Breaking his gaze away, he cleared his throat. He made one quick looked down at his swim trunks, breathing a sigh of relief when he wasn't sporting a boner. Rolling his shoulders, he awkwardly turned his attention to his dad. Behind him now, he could hear Sasuke's huff of laughter. "Ye-yeah?" Naruto asked, his voice cracking slightly.

"I've been calling you for a while now," Iruka said, his curious eyes glancing between him and Sasuke. "Anyways, the two of you should go join the children. Make sure they don't go too far. Kakashi and I are just going to relax here."

"Okay." Naruto stood and took off his shirt tossing it on top of the backpack. Together, he and Sasuke walked to the river, their arms not brushing, but close enough to feel the heat emanating from the other. When they were far enough from his parents, Naruto broke out in a snicker. "I can't believe I just did that in front of my parents."

"Well, I'm no better. I shouldn't have gotten caught up in it either," Sasuke said teasingly.

"Guess that makes us both perverts."

"You've never done that before?" Sasuke raised a brow questioningly.

"Do what?"

"Secretly trying to steal kisses or looks at Hinata in front of your parents without them knowing."

"Oh." Naruto flushed, then cleared his throat. Awkwardly, he rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled sheepishly. He kept his eyes averted. When it came to romancing, he had a feeling Sasuke knew more about it than he did. "Hinata and I were...what you call late bloomers. Hinata had always liked me since we were young, but I never really noticed until high school. It was a little awkward at first, transitioning from friends to lovers. But I guess it was also easier? I mean, we understood each other better that way. But uh, since the two of us never went out with anyone else, we were always awkward with those _things_. Plus, I didn't think it was such a good idea to try to sneak in anything when her dad didn't like me."

"Her dad didn't like you?"

"No..."

"Hunh? I guess that's not too surprising."

"At least try to doubt it!" Naruto pouted.

Sasuke shook his head with a roll of his eyes, lips curved in amusement. "Just being with you these past few months, I can see a father being wary of his daughter dating someone like you. No planning, just a go getter. Facing everything head on is your only answer. Even I would worry if Sarada ends up dating someone like that."

"Ahh, now that you mention it, I guess I would too if Himawari brings home someone like me." Naruto mumbled. Silence suddenly fell between them as they slowly turned to look at each other. Naruto blinked. The thought that a teenage Himawari would find a boyfriend had never crossed his mind until now. An image of a teenage boy with blond pompadour hair, piercings, and tattoos wearing a biker jacket, carrying a spike bat and laughing manically all the while lewdly holding onto a blurred image of his teenage, sweet, beloved Himawari popped into his mind. Just the thought made his mood sour. He chuckled without humor. "Just thinking about our two little girls all grown up and dating makes me nervous."

"More like the guys they bring home should be nervous." Sasuke said menacingly as a sharp look flicked through his eyes.

Naruto patted Sasuke's shoulder. "I'll join you in the bloodbath if they dare to hurt our little girls."

The two nodded, making a silent pact. Any man who dared to enter their front door would be subjected to their scrutinizing. Whether they were interested in Himawari or Sarada, it did not matter which of them was going to interrogate them as long as the chastity of their daughters was protected.

By the time, they reached the edge of the river, he and Sasuke were fired up and then immediately cooled when the children pulled them into the chilled water. They played with the kids, laughing and joyously swimming with the heat of the sun beating against their skin. The future of their children was a thought for another day. For now, he and Sasuke enjoyed their moments with them. Briefly, they stopped to have lunch, but after an hour of resting, Naruto and Sasuke were dragged back into the river, this time along with the grandparents. It was near evening when everything was packed away and the three children were once again dressed. The hike back to the house was a lot quieter as the children were tuckered out. Himawari even fell asleep walking and Naruto had to carry her. The cooler air was also refreshing on their sun beaten skin.

Soon, they returned to his parent's home. Exhausted as they all were, they still bathed and got ready for bed. As Naruto crawled into the futon, he let out a content sigh. Sasuke lay down next to him, a small smile on his face. "Today was good, wasn't it?" Naruto asked.

"Yes." Sasuke replied. A beat later, he said, "Thank you for inviting me."

"...You're welcome." Naruto smiled and fell asleep listening to the soft breathing of Sasuke.

When morning came, Sasuke was already gone from his side of the futon. Saddened at the thought that he couldn't see his lover's sleeping face, Naruto slowly got up. He scratched his head, stifling a yawn. The clinks of dishes and the aroma of cooking food persuaded him to get up and wash for the day. Shuffling down the hall, he caught a glimpse of Sasuke in the kitchen with Iruka. He wanted to greet him, but decided brushing his teeth was a better option. Plus, he needed to use the bathroom. Hurrying down the hall, he nearly crashed into Boruto who was running out into the living room with his cell phone in hand. Naruto called out to Boruto before he could disappear on him. Arching a brow, he pointed to the phone.

"Aw, but dad, I just saw a rare poke-" Boruto cut short when Naruto shook his head. Sighing, Boruto clicked off whatever app he was on and stuffed the phone into his pockets.

"Good. Now go and greet your grandpas." Naruto said.

He watched his son walk into the kitchen dejectedly, but perked up when when Iruka allowed him to snack a little early. _Grandparents. Always spoiling the grandchildren_ , he thought with a huff. Shaking his head, he headed to the bathroom to finish up his business.

On his return to the kitchen, he found the two girls chatting secretly together in the living room. Curiously, he walked over to them to catch their conversation. He didn't get very far in the conversation as it turned into something he couldn't understand. Their girlish giggles in between also didn't help. He gave up entirely and entered into the kitchen. He found Sasuke alone and joined him at the stove.

"Did you listen in on the girls' conversation?" Sasuke asked, his eyes still the stove as he cooked.

"Uh, yeah. I didn't understand a single bit of it. Girl talks." Naruto shrugged, then offered to help. He was directed to the cutting board where a few stocks of green onion lay uncut.

"...Will we ever understand our children?"

"Maybe...maybe not." Naruto gave a one sided shrug as he began washing the vegetable. "Children aren't born to become exactly like their parents. They have their own dreams and aspirations. As parents, our duty is to watch over them and make sure they stay on the right path. They may make the wrong choices at time, but we'll always be there to make sure get back on track. We'll worry about them—always worry— but in the end, we support them...even when they fail because that's when they need us the most."

Sasuke huffed. "I guess you're right. But then...will our children understand _us_?"

The question caught him off guard. The plonk of the green onion stem hitting the metal sink resonated in the kitchen despite the noises from the living room. Slowly, he faced Sasuke. He could see the worry in his eyes and although he wanted to comfort his lover, the thought also worried him. Naruto cupped Sasuke's hand and squeezed.

"Two grown men at our age—with kids nonetheless—introducing themselves as lovers. It's a little awkward." Sasuke whispered.

Taking a breath, Naruto looked over shoulder. When he made sure no one was around, he leaned in for a kiss, pecking Sasuke softly on his lips. "We'll worry about that when the time comes," he whispered against his lover's lips. He nuzzled their nose, leaning in for another kiss.

"Naruto, I-" Iruka stopped in his tracks and stared at them.

Naruto immediately pulled back and glanced to his dad, unsure of how to explain. And then he glanced down to his hand holding Sasuke's. Blushing, he quickly removed his hand as well and cleared his throat. "Dad, I can-"

"No need. I'm not that surprise. I had my suspicions. We'll talk after breakfast when the kids aren't around." Iruka said nonchalantly. He waved them off, pushing them out of the kitchen to finish up breakfast.

Dumbfounded, Naruto stood frozen. He was unsure of what happened. He turned to Sasuke who seem to be processing it too. "Did we...just get brushed off on something that should have been a huge, shocking moment?"

"I think so." Sasuke answered just as bemused.

"What are you two doing?" Kakashi asked, appearing from the hallway.

"Huh?" Naruto turned to his other father, but couldn't muster a reply.

"We were kicked out of the kitchen," Sasuke replied smoothly.

"Oh?" Kakashi raised a brow, but didn't question it. With a nod of his head, he went to the living room and settled into the armchair.

Naruto watched Kakashi for a bit longer, but seeing as his father wasn't doing anything else aside from picking up his book and reading, he looked back to Sasuke. "That's it?"

"I guess so. We'll just have to do as your dad says. Wait till after breakfast."

His lover seem to be taking this much easier than he expected. Iruka just found out about them and would most likely inform Kakashi. Then their relationship would be exposed to his parents. The thought had him in a nervous wreck. How was he suppose to explain to his parents about his new found sexuality? Or would it even be considered that? It wasn't as if he found other men attractive. Suddenly, he remembered Gaara and flushed.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked as they headed to the living room to join the children.

"Nothing," he replied a bit too quickly.

Sasuke gave him a blank look, but nodded slowly. They sat down, joining in on their kids games, but the talk after breakfast remained in Naruto's mind.

Much to his disappointment, breakfast ended faster than he wanted. Twisting his hands together, he watched the children disappear to play outside. With the table cleared and the dishes washed, the kitchen became eerily quiet. Although it was still hot and humid, it felt near freezing, caught in stillness. No sound of birds chirping or the distant echo of dogs barking. It frightened him. Naruto tapped his fingers against the surface of the table as he and Sasuke waited for Iruka and Kakashi to join them.

"Would you stop it?" Sasuke hissed.

Naruto stopped his tapping, but then his right leg started to shake, moving rapidly up and down. Sasuke sighed, then placed a resting hand on his thigh. He looked over to his lover, smiling nervously. "I can't help it."

"You're acting as if you're meeting my parents for my hand in marriage," Sasuke said amusingly.

"I'm surprise you're not freaking out."

"I am...just not quite obvious as you. Anyways, it's not like we're asking them for permission to get married or anything."

"And if I wanted to live the rest of my life with you?" Naruto sucked in a breath. He quickly glanced to Sasuke. "I-that...forget what I asked." He tried to looked away, but Sasuke touched his chin, turning his gaze back to him.

"We'll talk about that," Sasuke said quietly, "because I-"

"Alright you two," Iruka interrupted as he walked into the kitchen with Kakashi in tow.

Sasuke released him and straightened in chair. Naruto copied him despite his apprehension. His parents sat down and faced them. A lingering silence ensued, but then Iruka smiled gently.

"So, when did the relationship start?" Iruka asked.

Naruto answered, "A few weeks after the kids started their school year. That's about when we started the cooking lessons."

"So you've only been together for a few months then. For the sake of the children, I'm going to ask how serious are you guys?"

Naruto opened his mouth to answer, but had nothing to say. He closed his mouth and frowned. For him, it was very serious—enough for him to think about a future life with Sasuke. A life without him would be empty just like how his life was after Hinata's passing. Although it was only yesterday morning he found out just how deeply he felt for his raven haired lover, he knew he wouldn't be able to love anyone else.

"I am very serious," Sasuke replied in Naruto's silence, "because I've already imagined what life would be like from now on with him at my side."

It took a moment for Sasuke's words to register, but when it did, Naruto took a sharp intake of breath. Tears threatened to fall, but he held them back out of embarrassment. He closed his eyes, letting the words sink in deeper. Naruto smiled, reaching out to grasp Sasuke's hand. There was so much he felt for this courageous man he couldn't put into words. "Me too," he finally replied. His voice shook from emotions, but right now all he could think about was Sasuke. When he opened his eyes again, he turned to look in his parents' eyes, no longer afraid to show his affection for the man sitting beside him.

"Do you know how hard it will be from now on?" Iruka asked. "Your father and I faced many prejudices. We lost friends—long time friends—because we were different. Because we couldn't conform to their ideas of normal. There's that saying that goes _the nail that sticks out must be hammered in_...and how true those words are. We struggled. _Hard_. Even when we finally found people who accepted us for who we were, it was hard to believe their words. It's not easy and it probably won't ever be easy.

A relationship is a relationship, no matter which type you're in. You'll face struggles either way, but the two of you will face more difficulties as society won't take it too well. Not to mention, the both of you were once married and have children. It will be a long battle ahead...for your children as well." Iruka reached out to place his hand atop of theirs. "I am a parent as are the two of you. We nag because we worry and we will continue to worry no matter how old you get. Because as parents, all we want is for our children to live a happy, easy life without hardships. I want the same for you, Naruto. As well as you, Sasuke. In all honesty, I want to stop the both of you from entering into this relationship. I worry what the road will be like from here on out. I worry for the kids because I saw what Naruto had to go though growing up having me and Kakashi as parents. I'm afraid and I want to protect the two of you from the harshness of it all, but I also want you two to be happy. And that is why if you guys wish to be together...I and Kakashi will support the two of you no matter what. Know that no matter what happens, no matter the quarrels or trials society put upon your family, as long as you stick together, as a family, you can get through it."

Naruto had no words. He couldn't be any more thankful for his parents. The years he was shown kindness growing up, being loved, and taken care of, he was glad for them all. He learned so much from them. He hoped he could pass on this kindness to his children as well.

Afterward, they went in search of the children and joined them outside. The passing days he spent in the countryside with his parents instilled many memories, captured by photos and kept in a photo album for remembrance. It was a gift from Iruka to him and his new found family.

And then before they all knew it, their short visit was at its end. Everything was packed away into the car. All that was left was the farewells. Sarada had grown really close to his parents and since she didn't have grandparents, she took a liking to them. And it also looked like his fathers liked her too. They spoiled her just as much as they spoiled Himawari and Boruto. Naruto chuckled as he watched his parents doted on all three, giving them gifts and hugs.

"You have really good parents," Sasuke said beside him.

"I do." Naruto agreed. "When the kids are on vacation from school, I'd like for us to visit my parents. Even if it's only for a couple of days. I'd like to come by a little more often. They're not getting any younger and they'll need some help around the place."

"Sure. It'll be a nice change every now and then."

They waved as the children ran back to them and hurried into the car. Iruka and Kakashi weren't far behind, so they waited till his parents reached them. Iruka hugged them both, telling them to come back and visit again. When he released them, Iruka held onto Sasuke's arm.

"Uchiha-san-" Iruka started.

Sasuke interrupted him, shaking his head. "Please, just call me Sasuke."

"Ah, then Sasuke, thank you for coming with my son and taking care of him. And..." Iruka smiled. "Welcome to the family."

Smiling, Sasuke thanked him. They all said their goodbyes again, then they were off on the road once more. On the ride home, the children spoke about their time with his grandparents, sharing exciting events. Boruto boasted about catching the biggest stag beetle, although he did complain about not being able to play his games. Sarada, on the other hand, talked about the insects she observed and was likely going to use it for her summer homework. Himawari was going to do the same. After all the exciting ruckus, the kids finally fell asleep.

Before long, they returned to the city. When Sasuke parked the car, the children jumped out, greeting Kiba who had been walking Akamaru. Kiba kindly offered to help them unpack and carry their stuff back to their apartments. When everything was settled in his apartment, Naruto gave Kiba his souvenir, a packet of mochi filled with the paste of his hometown's famous grown fruits.

Naruto decided he would give the rest of the souvenir gifts for everyone else tomorrow since it was already late. With the kids already washed up and sleeping, he and Sasuke sat down in the living room, a beer can in their hands. Relaxing, Naruto took a sip of cold beer. It had been a long, exhausting few weeks, but unforgettable. Rolling his head, he took a glance at Sasuke. His lover was resting with his head on the back cushion and an arm draped over his eyes. Smiling mischievously, Naruto quietly set the can down on the coffee table. He turned toward Sasuke, feeling the seat cushion adjust to his position. He knew the moment Sasuke noticed his movement, but before he could react, Naruto tackled him down onto the sofa. Sasuke let out a tiny _oomph_ , then slipped his arms around him all the while keeping the beer can upright. Not a single liquid dropped.

In their embrace, Naruto heard Sasuke's light huff of annoyance and amusement. He snuggled into the raven haired man. And then he lay there, letting the comfort of Sasuke soak in. He was proud of Sasuke coming out to his parents even if it was unexpected. Eyes fluttering close, he breathed in the scent of his lover. The smell always calmed him somehow. Combined with the gentle fingers running through his hair, he could practically fall asleep on top of Sasuke.

"You were very brave," Naruto whispered.

"Brave? How so?" Sasuke asked.

"For admitting to my parents about our relationship. I was a nervous wreck."

"I was nervous too, you know. But it was just...it would have been counterproductive for the state of our minds if I was visibly showing it. You needed someone to ground you. I thought maybe I should do that."

Naruto lifted his head. Looking into Sasuke's confident gaze, he smiled. "Thank you. So...you really meant it? Being with me for...um-for the rest of our lives?" Naruto blushed, immediately covering his face. "Man, this sounds fucking cheesy."

Sasuke's low huffed chuckle rumbled through him. There was a quiet _thunk_ on the table and suddenly his arms hands were pried away, revealing Sasuke's rare smile. His lover took his hands to his lips—apparently his beer was set aside—and kissed the palm of each hand. Naruto blinked, embarrassed, but definitely turned on. Sasuke's rare smile always made him squirm.

"I meant every word." Sasuke released his hand and cupped his face. "I like you. At first, I was afraid to admit it. I was scared I would repeat the same mistake I did with Sakura, but I can't let fear continue to stop me from finding my happiness. Weird, isn't it? We've only been going out for a few months, but I just feel...this is it. If I gave you up now, I won't ever find anyone else like you. Maybe it's because we're older and we know what we want, but I'm ready for this. For us."

"Me too." Naruto agreed.

He pressed forward, smashing their lips together in a hard kiss. Hands slipped under his shirt, skirting across his abdomen and up to his chest. Gasping a moan, Naruto broke the kiss and sat up. Thankful for the large couch, Naruto moved his legs to straddle the man beneath him. Sasuke propped up on his elbows, watching him with hungry eyes as he stripped the shirt off. And then Sasuke was sitting up and kissing him again. A hot tongue licked across his lips and he opened up, letting Sasuke devour his mouth. Strong arms wrapped around his hips with fingers tugging his waistband.

"Un, Sas-" _Clack_. Startled, Naruto pulled back. His head whipped up and found a pair of shocked blue eyes staring at them. Sasuke moved, breaking Naruto from his frozen surprise. Clearing his throat, Naruto grabbed his discarded shirt from the ground after getting off of Sasuke. "B-Boruto. What are you still doing up?"

Sasuke was now standing beside him awkwardly. "A little late to be playing games, don't you think?"

Naruto's gaze dropped to the fallen PS Vita. He flinched when he heard the soft movement of Boruto's footstep. Slowly, he looked back up. "Boruto, I...we can expl-"

Before he could finished his question, Boruto turned around swiftly and ran back into his room. Naruto could only stare at the empty spot where Boruto had stood. Beside him, Sasuke let out huff of breath, then fell back onto the couch.

"And here I thought we could take it slowly," Sasuke whispered.

"Fuck," Naruto grumbled as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Let's stop here for tonight. You should head to bed."

"You're coming to bed with me, aren't you?" Naruto glanced over to him.

Sasuke took his hand and gave it a small squeeze. "Don't get me wrong. For Boruto's sake...I think we should sleep separately tonight. We'll talk to him about it tomorrow."

Reluctantly, Naruto nodded his head. He kissed Sasuke one more time, then trudged to his bedroom. He stopped briefly in front of the bedroom door where the children slept and where Boruto had returned. He lifted his hand, ready to knock, but stopped short and dropped his arm. Slowly, he rested his forehead against the door. Did Boruto hate him now? Boruto had been young when Hinata died, but still old enough to remember her and understand death. How was he suppose to explain that he was in a relationship with their neighbor? Conflicted, he moved away from the door and continued his way back to his bedroom. He left the door slightly ajar, listening closely for any noise, but heard nothing. Sighing dejectedly, Naruto crawled into bed, but sleep didn't come. He tossed and turned, finally falling into a light sleep when it was near dawn.

* * *

 **A/N:** Chapter 8 is here! I actually had this written and mostly completed a few months back, but wasn't too happy with it, so it took a while to post. I took out quite a bit of stuff and made some minor changes. I'm mostly happy with it and hopefully was to your enjoyment. I am posting two chapters at once since I was working on chapter 9 at the same time while I was tweaking this chapter.

Anyways, hope you all enjoyed and thanks again for taking your time to read it. :D


	9. Chapter 9

****A/N:**** Chapter 9 just as stated! :D (I hope there isn't any typos since I'm putting this up right after I just finished writing it. DX I'll fix any if I see them.) By the way! Just a little information, I'm not watching Boruto (probably won't ever :I) so my apologies if personalities are OOC. Then again, Sasuke and Naruto aren't very in character either, sooooo...I'm sorry about that. It is an AU. XD Though I try my best to keep them in character as much as possible.

* * *

 **Chapter Nine**

He woke up like any other normal day. From the kitchen, he could hear noises and the girls talking. Outside, birds chirped and chimes of bicycles rung. He could hear Akamaru barking for his morning walk and Kiba calming him down. And yet he knew it wasn't the same. Sighing, he sat up, still tired and dreading his talk with Boruto. With a heavy heart, he got up for another long day.

Another intake of breath. _In_. _Out_. Naruto calmed his quickly beating heart as he stepped out into the kitchen after washing up. He braced for the moment, but stopped short when he noticed someone missing. Boruto wasn't there. Himawari and Sarada, however, sat at their usual spot at the dining table, talking as normal. Naruto blinked. It was a little anticlimactic, not that he wanted a big fuss over it. He trudged over to Sasuke who had just finished cooking. Making sure the girls couldn't hear them, Naruto leaned into the raven haired man. "Where is Boruto?" he asked under his breath.

Sasuke flicked a gaze to the girls, then to him. He whispered, "I haven't seen him all morning. I think he's still in his room."

Feeling anxious now, he began setting up the table to put his mind elsewhere. Sasuke requested the girls to wake Boruto up. The two quickly finished setting the table all the while straining their ears to listen to Himawari and Sarada. They were knocking on the door and telling him to wake up. A moment of silence. Then the crack of the door echoed down the hall, giving Naruto a jump. He nervously looked over to Sasuke who returned the same expression. This was not going well.

Naruto sat down, watching as the three children walked into the kitchen. Sarada and Himawari were glancing to each other, then to Boruto who walked ahead of them. Worried expressions were plastered on their face and Naruto couldn't blame them. Boruto's face was set as a glare. His blue eyes, so similar to his own, flicked between him and Sasuke. The girls, who decided not to bother him, hurried to their seats. Himawari sat to his right, but when Sasuke went to sit at his left, Boruto quickly jumped into the seat. Naruto frowned at his manners.

"Boru-" He stopped when Boruto looked up at him with a frown. He sighed. He needed to talk to his son soon before things got worst.

Sasuke moved to sit on Boruto's other side, but when he did, Boruto clearly scooted his chair away and even turned his face away. Himawari frowned from across the table.

"Why are you being mean to Uncle Sasuke?" Himawari asked.

"What would you know?" Boruto asked her with a snide.

"That's no way to talk to your sister," Naruto scolded and lightly tapping his head.

"And why are you," Boruto pointed to Sarada, "and your dad _always_ here?! You only live next door. Do you have to stay here too?"

"Big brother!" Himawari shouted horrified.

"Boruto!" Naruto called his name harshly, "That's enough out of you. If you're going to throw a tantrum, go back to your room!"

"Fine! Not like I want to eat food cooked by _him_!" Boruto got up and ran back to his room, slamming the door shut.

Naruto winced, but not without missing the hurt look on Sarada's face. To his side, he heard a soft sigh. When he glanced over to Sasuke, his lover remained as neutral as ever. Sasuke caught his look, but silently urged him to stay quiet about the issue. With a sigh of his own, he persuaded the other two children to not mind Boruto and continue eating. But breakfast was eaten in silence and Naruto couldn't get over the look of dejection from Sarada. After they had eaten, Sasuke had to leave for work, leaving him with the dishes and alone with the children. He watched his raven hair lover go reluctantly, but pulled himself together when he noticed Sarada packing up her bag.

He arched a brow at her. "Going somewhere?" he asked.

Sarada jolted slightly at his words. Flushing a pink blush, she looked away. "U-um...I don't think Boruto wants me here," she whispered.

"That's nonsense," Naruto said. "He was just grumpy. He didn't mean it."

"I still think we should go. We do only live next door. Not like we have to be here everyday just because it's summer vacation. Besides, I have summer homework to finish. I'll grab my dad's stuff too." Sarada swung her bag over her shoulder and proceeded to lug Sasuke's bag.

Having nothing else to say, Naruto offered to help her. He grabbed the bag from Sarada and walked her over to their apartment. He was barely through the door and setting the bag down when Hmawari appeared. She wanted to stay with Sarada and finish her homework with her. When he turned to leave, Himawari frowned up at him.

"Big brother was being mean. I hope he gets in trouble," she muttered.

Naruto ruffled her head, not saying a word as he left the apartment and returned to his. He still needed to wash the dishes, so he walked over to the sink and turned on the water. The gush of water entranced him as he began washing. The soft clink of dishes soothed his frustration even as his mind wandered about what to do. He didn't think it was the gender that bothered Boruto. After all, his grandparents were both men. Not only that, but he and Hinata made sure to teach him and Himawari about discrimination and how hurtful it could be. Hinata taught them to be strong even if other children bullied them and that even if the others didn't understand, they had to know right from wrong. Boruto understood. He knew his son did, so he pondered what the core of the problem was that made Boruto react that way. Though he did have a sense of what it was, he didn't want to admit it.

He briefly realized there wasn't anymore dishes to wash, so he started drying them. For a moment, he stared at his reflection on the plate. Muffled shrills of excited screams and laughter scattered along a heated breezed wafted through the opened windows. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear wind chimes ringing. He sighed, setting the plate down. Maybe this wasn't the right time for a relationship. But just thinking that made his heart pang. He didn't want to let Sasuke go, but it would be selfish of him if he didn't, right?

Lost in thought, he hadn't heard the soft click of a door opening followed by soft trudges. A soft gasp behind him broke his mulling. He turned and stared at Boruto. His son at least had the humility to look ashamed. His hands flew to his back and his feet fidgeted, shifting from left to right. Naruto blinked, then returned to finish drying the plate. A beat passed and still Boruto hadn't moved from his spot.

"You must be hungry," Naruto said.

"N-no!" Boruto answered, but his stomach growled loud enough for them to hear.

Shaking his head, Naruto nodded to the plate wrapped in plastic. "Sasuke said to leave it out for you in case you got hungry. Go ahead and eat." Hoping this would be a time he could sit down and talk with Boruto, he turned to ask Boruto to sit, but before he could even utter a word, Boruto ran back to his room with the plate in his hands. The bedroom door slammed shut once more, leaving him speechless. Naruto didn't know whether to be angry or resign. Sighing in frustration, he stalked back to his bedroom where he grabbed his cell from the end table. There was only one other person he could call to ask for advice. He speed dialed the number and waited, his foot tapping with impatience. It rang twice before the familiar voice picked up the other end.

"Hello?" Iruka answered.

"Dad," Naruto called out, suddenly exhausted. He slumped onto the bed and curled into a ball.

"What happened?" Iruka sounded concern.

He felt bad for making his father worry, but there was no one else he could turn to. Iruka always knew the best answer. Hopefully even for this, Iruka knew something or an advice on how to approach it. "Let's see...how to say this...Boruto found out about Sasuke's and my relationship...in the worst possible way."

"Ah, I see. He didn't take it too well, I'm assuming since you are calling me?'

"No." Naruto groaned. "What am I suppose to tell him?"

"Exactly what it is. Boruto is twelve, isn't he? He's not young enough to not understand. Sometimes, children understand situations a lot better than adults."

"But that's the thing! I don't think he's happy with my relationship."

"And why is that?"

"Because...because..." Naruto sighed. He sat up, clutching one of the pillows close to his chest as he stared at the opposite wall. "I don't think he's gotten over Hinata's death. I was a useless father. I let my children carry my burden when she passed away and they had to grow up. Because of that, I think Boruto held onto his grief. He didn't get a chance to mourn properly."

"Then maybe give him time."

"What if he never opens up?"

"I don't think it will be like that. Boruto is very similar to you. When he gets frustrated enough, he'll face you head on. Like father, like son."

"Ngh, he has the worst of my personality then."

Iruka chuckled. "It will be fine."

Naruto grumbled, but eventually accepted his father's advice. He hung up and flopped back onto the bed. Yet, he still worried. Even as he prepared lunch for the children and got ready for work, his eyes always found their way back to Boruto's closed door, much like his son's closed heart. It felt the vacation with his parents happened years ago already. Sighing, he untied the strings of the apron and hung it up. Time was up. He had to get to work. Quietly, he shuffled over to Boruto's door. He knocked, but there wasn't an answer. With a sigh, he told him lunch was in the refrigerater and he was heading to work. Resigning himself, he left the apartment, but first dropped off lunch for Sarada and Himawari before he headed to work.

* * *

When he returned, it was late. The kids along with Sasuke were probably asleep. Naruto ran his fingers through his short dropped hair. All day, he couldn't stop thinking about what to say to Boruto to the point where he almost dropped a pot full of ramen broth. He got scolded by Ayame for not being careful and was even compared to Nishi and Matsu! He couldn't forgive himself for that, so he worked even harder, staying late to clean up. It was almost one thirty in the morning when he returned. He slowly walked up the stairs, reaching his apartment lethargically. As he rummaged through his pocket for his keys, the door opened next door. Naruto looked up to see Sasuke's head peeking around it.

"Welcome back" Sasuke greeted.

"Yeah, thanks," Naruto took out his keys and opened his door.

"Himawari is sleeping over. Hope you don't mind. I also had her drop off dinner for Boruto, though I'm not sure if he ate or not."

Naruto sighed. "I'm sorry." He closed the door, turning toward the other man. "I couldn't even talk to him this whole morning. He locked himself in the room. Honestly, I can't...get angry at him because I—" Naruto glanced away, unsure how to face Sasuke.

"Because Boruto is still grieving over Hinata," Sasuke finished for him.

Naruto guiltily looked back to him. Squatting down, he smothered his face into his arms. "I'm sorry," he said, voice muffled. "You, most of all, must feel awkward."

"Not at all." Sasuke's voice drifted near him.

Raising his head, he found Sasuke sitting down, his back leaning against the wall. His lover looked up at the night sky. Despite the summer heat and humidity, Sasuke wore his pajama pants, but a white tank top covered his torso, revealing his beautifully sculpted biceps. Their eyes met and Sasuke smiled softly. He leaned in slowly. Naruto could smell his scent, sending a shrill of excitement down his spine. His eyes fluttered closed. The heat of his lover emanated from his body, spreading to him like a forest fire. He shuttered. Warm lips pressed against his eyelids, then his left cheek, and finally his lips. Gentle, sweet like candy, and then hard and fierce like hot lava; it was a slow burn as Sasuke's hot tongue invaded his mouth, taking every bit of his breath, sweeping him in like ocean waves. High on ecstasy, he pressed into the kiss. His hands flung out, gripping tightly onto Sasuke's shirt. His knees touched the hard floor as he pushed his lover against the wall. A tangle of tongues and soft moans rumbled in his ears. When he pulled away, they panted in sync. Sasuke's right hand found its way to his nape and rubbed tenderly. It relieved some aches. He sighed into it.

"We'll give him time," Sasuke whispered.

"Okay," he whispered back.

They kissed one last time before standing up and saying goodnight. He watched Sasuke enter his apartment, then went inside his. Closing the door behind himself, he hoped tomorrow morning would be better.

Tomorrow was not better and neither was the days after. It was like winter in his apartment, cold and frozen. Himawari hadn't returned as she was still angry, even more so now since Boruto hadn't apologized. Naruto also couldn't meet up with Sasuke for their usual cooking lessons since Boruto acted up when Sasuke was there and honestly, he didn't think it was such a good idea either. Giving his son time didn't seem to be working. Frustrated, Naruto sat on the couch, slouched over with his fingers clinging his hair. Summer vacation was over in two days. If he didn't do something, he won't get another chance. The worst part, his son wasn't even home. He had left in the morning to go to a friend's house and hadn't returned. He had a rare off day since Teuchi had an emergency and had to close shop. He thought he would be able to talk to Boruto, but was brushed off.

Muttering to himself, he hadn't realized his phone was ringing. He picked it up on the last minute, answering a bit curtly. "Yes?"

"Dad?" Boruto's boyish voice rang from the other side of the line.

"Boruto? Where are you?" Naruto asked.

"I'm still over at my friend's house. I'm going to sleep over."

Naruto clench his teeth. He huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "No."

"What?"

"No, you are not sleeping over at your friend's house. You're coming home right now."

"It's late though." Boruto's tone held a little rebellion.

"Then tell me your friend's address. I'll come over to pick you up."

"But dad—"

"Tell me your friend's address. Right. Now. You are not going to bother his parents when there is only two days left in your summer vacation."

Reluctantly, Boruto spouted his friend's address, then quickly hung out without a word. Naruto sighed again. He searched for the address and was glad they didn't too far away—just a few blocks down the street. He got up and slipped on a light sweater before heading out. He was locking up when Sasuke appeared from the stairs. Sasuke seemed a bit startled to see him.

He raised his dark brows at him. Sasuke asked, "Is something wrong?"

"I'm going to pick up Boruto. Himawari is still over at your place. Sorry, think you could watch her for a bit?" Naruto asked.

"Sure, I don't mind."

Naruto nodded his thanks and brushed passed him. He was a step down when Sasuke grabbed his shoulder, stopping him in his track. Looking over his shoulder, he lifted an eyebrow at the raven haired man. Sasuke seem to hesitate for a moment, but eventually gathered his strength. He straightened his back and looked him in the eyes.

"I know you're angry and frustrated, but please don't take your anger out on him. Boruto is still grieving and it might take some time," Sasuke said gently.

"I know that," Naruto said through gritted teeth. "I know that he is still grieving. I can't blame him for that. It's just...because I know and—"

Naruto groaned in frustration, raking his fingers through his hair. He dropped to the stair and sat down with his head in the palms of his hands. It wasn't even about Boruto not accepting him. The frustration inside him was directed at himself. Boruto's grief was something he knew very well and he had no idea how to sooth his son's pain. As a father, he should know these things, but he didn't. How was he suppose to tell his son it's okay because it wasn't okay. The boy lost his mother...he lost his beloved wife. There was so much going on and he couldn't say anything to Sasuke in fear he would leave him. And despite all his might, all the emotions he tried to bottle up broke through with a stifled cry. He covered his mouth, trying to stop the sobs, but slowly they filtered through. He shook as sob after sob racked his body.

A gentle hand rubbed his back, then pushed against him. Naruto let himself be pushed into the warm embrace of his lover who silently let him cry. Sasuke pressed his lips against his temple, wiped away tears, and kept him close till the crying ceded.

Sasuke's soft voice whispered against his ear. "I know it's hard to watch your son suffer while you sit idly by, unable to do anything. That no matter what you say won't take away the pain. But hold strong Naruto until he is ready to talk. You love your son, so I know you can."

"You must hate me for thinking about Boruto and...Hinata when we..." Naruto clenched his teeth together, "when we're together."

Sasuke huffed as he lifted his head up by the chin. "Now that's the most idiotic thing I've ever heard. I can't replace Hinata, just as you can't replace Sakura. But it doesn't change that you are important to me. To put it in a more symbolic term as well as a very embarrassing one and something I'll never say again because this will be the only time, somewhere in this...cold...heart of mine, you have a spot in it where you've made it your home and I'm very pleased with it."

The words were endearing, but Naruto couldn't help himself. The laugh started small like a giggle, then grew into an outright laugh. "Fuck Sasuke, that was the cheesiest line ever," he said in between laughs.

"Hence why I'll never say it again, but you get my point." Sasuke's straight face didn't make the situation better.

Naruto wiped away tears of laughter from the corner of his eyes. Nodding his head, he leaned in for a kiss. Keeping their heads close as he pulled away from the kiss, he whispered, "Thank you. You are also very important to me."

"As I should be since we've gone this far."

Chuckling, he went in for another kiss. When they broke apart, he stood with the help of Sasuke. "Now go bring him home," Sasuke said, waving him off as he descended the stairs.

About thirty minutes later, he found the Nara household where Boruto was staying. He rang the doorbell on the gate and waited. A few seconds later, the front door opened. A man around the same age as him with hair pulled back into a pony tail and a beard stood by the doorway. Behind him was a young boy with similar features and beside him was Boruto, face marked with a scowl. He sighed inaudibly as the man walked the two kids to the gate and opened it. Boruto walked to his side, but didn't utter a word. Taking his eyes off his son, he turned his attention to the man instead. He looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place him. "Uzumaki Naruto. Thank you for taking care of my son and I'm sorry for his intrusion," Naruto said.

"Yeah, we met when Kiba wanted to do the hot pot party. I was friends with Lee. Nara Shikamaru. This here is my son, Nara Shikadai. And it wasn't a problem. The two get along very well. Must be their love for gaming."

 _Ah, so he found a friend with similar interests._ Naruto smiled. "Oh yeah, sorry. It's been a while. Anyways, boys nowadays. I remember running around outside in my youths, not being holed up in the house."

The other father scratched his beard, thoughtfully saying, "Well, I wasn't much of an outdoorsy kid either. I preferred relaxing more than anything else, but yeah, I do get it."

Naruto chuckled. "Well, thank you Nara-san."

"Hm? Shikamaru is just fine, Uzumaki-san," he said.

"Ah, then Naruto is fine with me."

They bowed and then said their goodbyes. As he turned to leave, he caught sight of a woman standing near the doorway. _Right, his wife_. Naruto bowed to her too, then finally turned away from the Nara house.

Boruto kept to himself, walking in silence. Naruto stared at the back of his son's head while he internally racked his head about how to make conversation. Minutes ticked by and still he had nothing to say. Blinking, he shook his head. There wasn't anything he needed to say. He raised a hand and ruffled Boruto's hair. He felt rather than saw his son stiffen at his touch. Slowly, Boruto relaxed, then he knocked his hand away. He slowed his pace till the two of them were walking side by side.

"-rry," Boruto muttered with his head tilted.

"What?" Naruto asked in puzzlement.

"...Sorry," Boruto said louder this time, but his eyes remained on the ground.

Naruto smiled wryly. Maybe this was the first step or at least he hoped so. He patted Boruto's head once more. "Forgiven."

For the remainder of the walk, they remained silent. When they returned to the apartment complex, Boruto went inside first. Naruto knock on Sasuke's door to check up on Himawari. When his lover opened the door, the sudden urge to touch him overwhelmed him. He leaned forward, stealing a quick kiss.

"Welcome back," Sasuke said as they parted.

"I'm back. I brought Boruto back too," he said with a grin.

"How did it go?"

"He was mad, but I think he's calmed down. I hope this means he'll open up to me soon."

"I hope so too."

"How is Himawari?"

"Fast asleep next to Sarada. I left some dinner in your refrigerator if you and Boruto are hungry."

"Thanks."

They kissed once more, then parted much to Naruto's disappointment. Returning to his apartment room, he found Boruto sitting at the dining table with his hand held gaming console. He was focused on playing whatever game that was currently popular among young boys. Naruto sighed. There was still a long way to go before Boruto would talk to him. Seeing as it would be pointless to say anything, he directed himself to the fridge where he took out the dinner Sasuke made and reheated it. He placed a plate in front of Boruto, then proceeded to sit across from him with a plate of his own. His son seem to take notice of the food, quickly glancing at it, then at him. When he noticed that he was staring, Boruto immediately flicked his gaze away. Without a word, Naruto knocked on the table to get his attention once more. When a pair of blue eyes were on him, he pointed to the gaming console. Boruto quickly set it aside. With a nod, Naruto said his thanks for the food and started eating. Bruto took a moment, but he followed suit. Dead silence. Awkward and tense, but at least Boruto was responding. It was a step.

After dinner, Boruto washed up. Naruto stood by his bedroom door, watching his son till he made it to his room. Before he could enter, he called out, "Good night, Boruto."

Boruto hesitated, but whispered back, "Good night." He entered the bedroom, shutting the door quietly.

Another sigh escaped his lips. Naruto shut the door behind him, but he didn't move, choosing to stare at his bed. It felt empty. Without Sasuke by his side, the bed felt too big, too cold. He reluctantly trudged his way to the bed and sat down. The bed squeaked, dipping under his weight. He patted the blanket, smiling softly. It was the same bed he bought with Hinata when they first married. Her scent had once lingered on after her death. Each night he had slept in it, he was always reminded of her and wept to sleep. But now as he lay down, Sasuke's scent lingered on the sheets. Although his lover was only a room away, it felt much farther. His hand plopped on the empty side next to him where Sasuke usually slept. Although empty, he could see the transparent silhouette of his lover. Locks of his black hair trickling over his face as he breathed softly. Skin silky white. The way how he sometimes frowned in his sleep and each time, he would poke at the furrowed brows, chuckling to himself while he watched the brows ease. Missing him, Naruto pulled the body pillow into his chest and embraced it tightly. Tomorrow morning he was going to make sure he had his fill of Sasuke before he left for work. Smiling to himself, he eventually fell asleep dreaming of his raven hair lover.

* * *

 **A/N:** These are kinda short chapters, but I hope you all still enjoyed them. Thanks again for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

 _Morning_. The soft hush of night fell away to the rise of the sun in the East. Its rays peeked over the horizon, dying the sky a colorful orange hue. Birds woke, chirping their melody and taking flight in search of food. The morning burst of people waking and the rush of office workers heading in for work. Mornings should be bright with a smile of a brand new day, except it was always the worst time of the day for Naruto. Mornings were not his forte and probably won't ever be. However, today was different. It _felt_ different. There was only one day left before the kids went back to school to start their second term. And...and he needed to see Sasuke because last night's dream left him feeling deprived of the man. He woke with an energy he never knew he had for mornings. His body on autopilot as he washed up and made his way over to Sasuke's apartment. He knocked, waiting patiently. His ears perked at the sound of the door unlocking. He hoped it was Sasuke and not the girls because it would be awkward trying to explain to them why he was there so early. To his luck, Sasuke appeared before him. His hair was still slightly damp. _He must have showered_ , he thought and was proven correct as the fresh scent of soap—of Sasuke's soap—drifted over him. He always thought Sasuke didn't need cologne. He already smelled good without those overly strong chemicals.

His lover blinked and greeted, "Morning...you're here early."

"Good morning. Are the girls awake?" he asked. He rocked back and forth on his feet. His hands clasped behind his back as he waited for Sasuke who looked behind his shoulder, then turned back to him with a shake of his head. A second passed. Then he was shoving Sasuke inside. He grinned mirthfully when Sasuke clamped his mouth to a tight line to stop a yelp. Naruto wrapped his arms around him, pressed him against the side wall at the doorway entry, and kissed him hard. Sasuke was surprised, but eventually melted into his kiss. Arms wrapped around at his hips, pulling him closer till their bodies molded. Naruto hummed in delight, ravishing his lover's lips and mouth. Sloppy and messy, but delectable. Sasuke tasted of coffee—bitter, but addicting. But that wasn't what he wanted to taste. He could drink coffee anytime and enjoy it by itself, but not this. He wanted to taste _Sasuke_. Just him. His smell, his sweat, _everything_.

He broke from the kiss, dragging his tongue over skin, tracing Sasuke's jawline down to his chin and nibbling at the flesh. Salty, but oh so addicting. He wanted more. He was ready to drop to his knees, but Sasuke stopped him. A hand pressed against his chest, pushing him away. Blinking in confusion, he looked up at his lover. Sasuke was panting, still catching his breath.

"You..." Sasuke started, "what's gotten into you this morning?"

"I missed you," Naruto said.

"We just saw each other yesterday."

"But I missed you sleeping next to me. I'm feeling...feeling..." Naruto straightened his back. His fingers wiggled as he grasped for the word. "I'm having withdrawals." He frowned seriously.

Sasuke stared. His sudden huff of laugh caught Naruto off guard. Sasuke shook his head all the while taking him by the hand and leading him to the bedroom. "I would tell you that is just ridiculous, but—"

Sasuke stopped himself from finishing his sentence as he swapped their position so his back was to the bedroom door. He closed it quietly behind him with one hand. Within the span of one second, Sasuke's blank expression shifted. A smirk played on his lips. His eyes glinted with mischief. Naruto gulped. He may have woken a tiger. A pair of hands pushed against his chest. His feet moved, taking one step back and then another and another. The back of his knees knocked against the edge of the bed. He faltered, catching himself, but Sasuke pushed him again. Naruto flopped onto the bed inelegantly. Unable to utter a sound, he propped himself on his elbows. His eyes trained on Sasuke. He couldn't tear them away.

"Probably wouldn't be good for the girls if they woke up and found you on your knees," Sasuke said huskily.

His raven haired lover stripped for him, tugging slowly at his white button down shirt. He pulled them from the constrains of his black slacks. One by one, he unbuttoned. Nauto swallowed. _Too slow_. He lunged. His hand gripped the shirt and he pulled. Buttons flew, scattering across the floor. He barely noticed Sasuke's shock. Lips smashed into a heated kiss. Hands smothered over skin. Sasuke straddled him, knees on either side of his legs. His lips found his way to Sasuke's collarbone. He nipped, marking his lover. Smiling into his trailing kisses, he reveled in Sasuke's gasp. Down to his chest, he bit Sasuke's right nipple. Sasuke grunted. A low growl rumbled from Sasuke's throat as his hands tangled into his blond hair and tugged roughly. Painful, but Naruto found it a little arousing. He had no idea he had a kink for that. Chuckling low, he moved to the other side. His mouth hovered over the left nub, ready to chomp.

"Dad?" Sarada's voice drifted through the door followed by a knock.

"Shit," Naruto whispered. "Did you lock the door?"

"No," Sasuke replied quickly. He clambered off, but didn't seem to be in a rush. He adjusted his shirt, but seemingly remembered the broken buttons.

Naruto whispered sheepishly, "Sorry about that."

Sasuke arched a brow at him. His lover shrugged his shoulder and removed the shirt. He grabbed a new one from the closet and slipped it on. Readjusting their clothes and hair, they fixed themselves. After confirming with one another, Sasuke opened the door.

"Good morning," Sasuke greeted.

"Mor—Uncle Naruto?" Sarada's brows raised in surprise.

"Uh, good morning Sarada," Naruto greeted.

"Naruto was over because I had something to discuss with him," Sasuke replied smoothly. "It's about work."

"Oh. Okay...I was just checking since you're usually up early."

"Where is Himawari?"

"She's in the restroom. Did you want me to make breakfast if you still need to talk to Uncle Naruto?"

"Please and thank you."

Sarada nodded and turned to leave. Sasuke shut the door, then turned to him. Naruto sighed in relief. Rolling his shoulder, he released the tension. "Thank goodness you had an excuse."

"Actually, I wasn't really lying. I really do need to talk to you about my work," Sasuke said as he made his way over to the bed and sat down beside him.

"Oh? What is it?"

"I'm heading in to work today for a meeting. I was requested to go on a business trip to Kyoto. It will be a two day trip and I was hoping if you could watch Sarada for me during the time I'm not here."

"Of course. I don't mind at all. Is it for a client?"

"Yes. Apparently it's a prominent figure in the Diet."

"Big job?"

"Yes. Can't mess it up."

"When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow."

"So soon."

"Yes. Sorry, I didn't get the chance to tell you."

"It's fine. I'll miss you."

"It's only for two days. You'll be fine, but...I'm concerned about Boruto." Sasuke frowned. "Do you think he will be fine with Sarada around?"

"Hmm." Naruto crossed his arm across his chest. "It should be fine. If anything, I'm sure he feels guilty for saying those things to Sarada and will eventually apologize. I don't think he has anything against her."

"So just me then."

"Ah, not _you_ necessarily. More like... _us_."

Naruto sighed. There wasn't an easier way of putting it. And just saying it out loud was almost frightening. The _what ifs_ filled his mind insistently. He tried to push the thoughts away, but they kept coming back. He sighed again, running his hand through his hair. A sudden headache began to throb at the base of his skull. He rolled his head, pressing his hand to his neck. Maybe he was over thinking it and stressing.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Sasuke asked.

"I just have a headache now," Naruto replied nonchalantly.

"Hmm." Sasuke hummed as he got up from the bed and opened the drawer of the end table beside the table. He took out a bottle of aspirin and handed it to Naruto. "Take one and then rest up. Don't worry so much about Boruto."

"You're not...worried? What if Boruto never accepts us?" Naruto took the bottle of pills from Sasuke and popped it open.

"That's a what if scenario and a very negative one. Aren't you suppose to be the more positive one out of us?" His lover arched a brow at him, arms crossed.

"This is my son and he tends to be stubborn." Naruto rolled a pill in the palm of his hand. He stared at the white tablet for a moment then sighed as the headache worsened. "Sorry, I guess I am being negative. I'm just scared that he won't...you know, accept us. I mean, I'm sure he's okay with same sex couples. His grandparents are both men after all. I just don't think he was ready for me to be in a new relationship."

"Yeah." Sasuke agreed. He moved to sit beside him once more and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "I want to talk to Boruto when I come back from my trip, is that okay?"

Naruto blinked as he turned to look at his lover. "Not sure if he will be ready to talk to you, but I'll try to convince him."

"Thank you. Well, I have to go. Go check up on Boruto."

Naruto nodded. They shared one last kiss before they separated and got up to leave the room. He took the pill before leaving, but on his way out Sarada stopped him and handed him a bag. She muttered shyly that it was breakfast. Naruto smiled gently. He patted her head affectionately. "Thank you. You're a very good girl. I'm sorry again about Boruto."

"Boruto is Boruto. He's not a _bad_ person. He's kind in his own way and I'm sure he'll come around once he gets over whatever it is that's bothering him," Sarada said.

"You think so?"

"Yes. I'm sure he will. I'll just give him some space until then."

He couldn't help, but pat her head one more time. Finally leaving, returning to his apartment room. He found Boruto in the kitchen rummaging through the fridge. Naruto announced he had return and held up the bag of breakfast Sarada had packed for them. Boruto didn't say anything in return, but he did help him take out the food and set the table. When they sat down to eat, it was silent and awkward. It was as if he didn't even know his own son. Naruto sighed. He put his chopsticks down and looked at Boruto firmly. His son tried to look away, his eyes cast to the food so they wouldn't meet his, but Naruto didn't give up. Eventually, Boruto gave up and looked up with a quirked brow. Seeing his son's haughty attitude, he chuckled.

"What?" Boruto asked, slightly annoyed.

"Nothing. Finish eating first," Naruto said, deciding he could leave their discussion for after breakfast.

Breakfast finished in a much lighter tone than when they began. He was glad for that, but as he watched Boruto's tiny back while he placed the dishes into the sink, he sighed inwardly. It was now or never. "Boruto..." he called out quietly. He noticed the back of his son tense at his voice. "I was talking to Sasuke earlier. He's going to be on a work trip tomorrow, so Sarada is going to stay with us for a bit. But he mentioned that he wanted to talk to you, probably after he comes back from his trip. Do you think you can do that?"

Boruto turned to face him. His brows were furrowed. Everything about his body language told Naruto that his son was not going to comply easily. Unsure of what else to do, he scratched his chin thoughtfully. Humming under his breath, a thought came to him. It wasn't one he liked very much, but he had no other choice. Sasuke probably wouldn't be too happy, but he was a father first. Leaning toward the table, Naruto folded his arms atop the cool surface. "Please do this one favor for me. Just _talk_ to Sasuke or if you rather, you can just listen And if...and if you aren't satisfied, then I'll...break it off with Sasuke. You're my son. I want you to be happy. I want our _family_ to be happy."

It took a moment, but Boruto agreed with a nod of his head. Partially relieved, Naruto stood from the chair, but a wave of dizziness stilled him. A hand to his forehead, he steadied himself against the table. The headache went from a small throb in the back of his head to a pounding annoyance.

"What's wrong?" Boruto asked.

"Just a headache," he replied with a wave of his head so his son wouldn't be concerned. "I'll sleep it off since I already took a pill. Anyways, since Sarada will be staying with us...what will you do?" Naruto forced himself to look at Boruto even though his head was painfully hurting now. The slightest movement made it worst.

"Ah!" Boruto flushed. He scrambled out of the kitchen and returned with his jacket. "I...um...I'm going to go out for a bit. Don't work too hard, Dad. I'll clean up, so you just go ahead and rest. I'll wake you up later and if you still have a headache, call in." Boruto quickly slipped on his jacket and shoes, then waved a goodbye before leaving the apartment.

Naruto blinked. He chuckled under his breath as he slowly made his way to his room, trying his best not to jostle as much in hopes to prevent further aggravating his headache. He was near the bedroom door when his vision blurred for a moment. He pressed his fingers to his temple, rubbing it softly. He hadn't been stressing as much—not since he met Sasuke and got together with him. But when he did, the stress usually caused a lot of pain similar to the one he was having. Since it had been so long, he wasn't quite use to it. He waited a beat and after his vision returned, he continued to his room where he crawled back into bed and fell asleep.

He woke up some time later to a shake. It shook his head and he winced. The headache was still there. Opening his eyes slowly, he saw a blurry figure. He couldn't tell who it was at first, but his vision cleared. Boruto stood beside his bed, brows furrowed in concern.

"Still hurt?" Boruto asked.

"Yeah. What time is it?" Naruto asked groggily.

"Thirty minute till you leave for work. Did you want to call in?"

"Probably. Can you get my cell phone for me?"

"Yeah."

Boruto's footsteps hurriedly disappeared, but returned quickly with his cell in hand. Naruto took it from him and called Teuchi. He didn't want to call in sick since he was still technically a new employee, but his headache was making it impossible to even get up. Thankfully, Teuchi was okay with him taking the day off. He set his phone on the bedside table as Boruto stood by, asking if he needed anything, but he assured his son he was okay and just needed rest. Boruto left, leaving him to sleep again. Sometime later, he woke to Himawari pressing her forehead against his. Chuckling, he sat up slowly. Sighing, he ruffled her head.

"Are you okay, daddy?" Himawari asked.

Her voice sounded so tiny and worried that it hurt him to hear it. He smiled, hoping it would relieve her. "I'm fine. Just let me sleep a little more okay?"

"Yeah. You haven't eaten anything though."

"Not that hungry." His response seem to shock Himawari even more to concern. He sheepishly smiled at his daughter. "Really, Himawari. I'm fine. Don't worry so much. Did Sarada pack her bag to stay for the night?"

"Uh huh. Uncle Sasuke told her that he was going to be away for two days starting tomorrow. Big brother apologized for being mean and even gave her an apology gift."

"Oh? What did he give her?"

"A limited edition BTS poster."

"BTS?"

"A k-pop group."

Blinking, Naruto stared at his daughter. "Okay. I'm just going to pretend I know what that is. At least they made up."

"Yup! Okay, I'll leave now. You go back to sleep." Himawari climbed onto the bed and hugged him tightly. She pressed a light kiss to his cheek, then climbed back down and left the room in a flurry.

He shook his head, but immediately regretted it when another shot of pain twinged in the base of his skull. Groaning, he lay back down, allowing sleep to take him once more. When the next he woke, it was dark. A cool hand pressed against his forehead, seemingly taking away the slow throb of his headache. He sighed, turning his head to the hand. Eyes focusing in the dark, he found a pair of onyx eyes filled with concern. He smiled at his lover. "Hey, you're back," he greeted as he tried to sit up.

Sasuke pressed a hand on his shoulder, making him lay back down. "No need to get up. Himawari stayed up to fetch me when I got back saying you weren't feeling too well and stayed home. Was it the headache?"

"Yeah. I took the aspirin, but it was really bad. I thought I should just sleep it off."

"Did you take anything else?"

"No. Head hurt too much to get up."

"Did you eat?"

As if on cue, his stomach rumbled. Blushing, Naruto replied, "No."

"I'll make you something to eat. Sleep for a bit longer."

Sasuke got up, leaving him to rest again. It didn't take long before Sasuke was nudging him awake again. He helped him sit up, then gave him a bowl of porridge. Naruto tried to take it, but his arm had somehow gone numb, nearly making him drop the bowl. Thinking he had slept on it, Naruto told Sasuke and to his surprise, Sasuke took the bowl from him and scooped up a spoonful to feed him.

"You're hand feeding me?" Naruto asked in awe.

Sasuke arched a brow. "Did you not want me to?"

"No. I mean, yes I want you to." Naruto grinned, letting himself be spoiled by his lover. The soft clinks of the spoon scraping against the ceramic bowl resonated through the room like a soothing beat. As if it was medicine in itself, the clinks had put him in a lull. One spoonful by one spoonful, Sasuke fed him till the porridge was done. Another aspirin and a cup of water later, Naruto felt better than before. Smiling, he thanked Sasuke. But his as lover got up to leave, he felt another throb. Not in his head, but a tug at his heart. He reached out, grabbing Sasuke by the arm to prevent him from leaving. When Sasuke glanced at him questioningly, he pulled slightly. "Stay," he whispered. "The kids are asleep, they won't know. You're leaving early tomorrow anyway, right? Bags packed and all?"

"Yes," Sasuke answered. "Let me put the dishes away and I'll come back."

Nodding, Naruto released his hold and watched anxiously as Sasuke left the room. He returned as promised and crawled into bed with him. He allowed himself to be pulled into Sasuke's arms. His lover's smell washed over him and his warmth enveloped him. Naruto sighed contently. He missed this. He missed Sasuke. He snuggled closer, tucking his head under Sasuke's chin. "I missed you," he whispered.

"Me too," Sasuke softly said into his ears.

"I'm going to miss you even more during your two day work trip."

A tremble vibrated through him as Sasuke chuckled quietly. Warm, comforting fingers combed through his hair, massaging his scalp every now and then. It was relaxing enough to nearly put him to sleep again. His eyelids drooped, but he forced himself awake again. He still had things to discuss with Sasuke. "...I spoke to Boruto." He said quietly.

"And?" Sasuke asked.

"He agreed, but..." Naruto bit his lower lip. He didn't want to tell Sasuke, but it was better not to hide anything. "I told him if he wasn't satisfied with the talk, then I would break things off between us."

The words left his mouth in a slight bitterness, leaving a strained air around them. Silence. A soft exhale followed, then Sasuke was moving so they could see each other. However, Naruto couldn't bear to look at him. Sasuke held his chin, forcing him to look at the other. He struggled against it, but strong hands lifted his chin up, letting their eyes connect. His lips pressed into thin lines. How could he apologize? He tried to push away, but Sasuke held on firmly, pulling Naruto toward him once more. "Sasuke," he whimpered, not wanting to be held by his beautiful lover. And then a gasp escaped his mouth. Warm lips pressed against his, moving gently. A hot tongue invade his mouth, taking him tenderly, but passionately. Naruto pulled away for a gasp of air. He felt himself being rolled onto his back. Sasuke lay on top of him, taking him into another kiss. Soft and gentle, but filled with unsaid words. Sweet, but bitter because there was apology needed for choosing the responsibility of a parent. Sasuke understood why he had agreed to break things off with him if Boruto wasn't happy. If he was in the same situation, Sasuke would have done the same. He knew and Sasuke knew.

Desperate hands explored under shirts, traveling over quivering muscles. Their lips separated long enough so their shirts could be removed, but met once more in fervor. Sasuke's hands left a fiery trail where ever it touched. They glided over his collar bone, shoulders, arms, and towards his hands. With their hands clasped tightly, Sasuke pulled them till they rested beside his head. Their tongues danced in twists and rolls, dragging a yearning moan from his throat. He rolled his hips, brushing their arousal briefly. They both gasped and then their hands were scrambling to remove anything that kept their skin apart. Pants removed, tossed into the air and somewhere in the room, they came back together with a sigh. Naruto spread his legs, letting Sasuke lay flat against him. Flesh against flesh, they kissed again. His hands wrapped around Sasuke's strong back, etching the rolling muscles into his fingertips. Down his back to Sasuke's thrusting hips and finally his clenching ass. He thrust, meeting his lover's grinding. Erection against erection, Sasuke gasped. His lover's sensual tongue escaped their tango and found its way to his chin. Naruto moaned as his burning tongue licked its way down to his neck, sucking and biting to leave its mark in a bruised circle.

" _Mine_ ," Sasuke whispered gutturally.

"Yours," Naruto confirmed. "Always yours, Sasuke." And then he was chanting Sasuke's name as their bodies rolled and bumped. Thrust for thrust, they met in a frenzy. "Sasuke, I'm—!"

"Me too."

They groaned as they climaxed together. A mix of their messy stickiness stuck between their abdomen. Naruto opened his mouth, wanting another kiss and Sasuke gave it to him—a kiss of pure lust and passion, so wanton that if he was younger, he would be sprouting another erection. He whimpered when Sasuke lifted himself a bit to swipe at their mess. Sasuke brought it up for them to see. Naruto gulped, taking the fingers and sucking them them clean. Sasuke's eyes widen in surprise, but it didn't stop him. Naruto smirked, flicking his tongue between the fingers and sliding them in between in a thrusting motion. To the tip of the index finger, he sucked once, twice, and then he swallowed down to the knuckle, bobbing his head. He could see his lover's eyes darken, clouded with a haze of desire. Releasing the finger with a pop, he pushed Sasuke and rolled them again so he was on top and straddling him. It was his turn now because once wasn't enough—never enough.

Sometime later in the night once they were cleaned and dressed again, they cuddled close in bed, hands tightly bound. Naruto brought their clasped hands to his lips, brushing them against Sasuke's knuckles. "I'll trust that you can somehow persuade Boruto," he whispered.

"Not really persuade. More like trying to make him understand because this isn't just a one time thing."

"Mmm."

"Enough of this talk. Go to sleep. I don't want your migraine to come back."

"I don't think it will now. My stress went away when we threw ourselves at each other."

"Are you saying sex is the best medicine?"

"Isn't it?" Naruto innocently looked at Sasuke, bringing a smile to his lover's face.

"Of course," Sasuke answered sarcastically with a roll of his eyes. "Now sleep."

Chuckling, Naruto pressed himself a little closer. Hands still entwined, he fell into a peaceful slumber. And when he woke again, refreshed and no longer in pain, Sasuke was gone, leaving behind a fading warmth to show that he was there. His hand touched the lingering heat. A smile flitted across his face as he remembered last night. Laying down, the scent of Sasuke wafted over him. He sighed into the pillow. Regret pang somewhere in the back of his mind. He had hoped to wake up in time to see Sasuke off. He would surely miss him. Sitting back up, he noticed a piece of white paper on the end table. He reached for it, grabbing the note and bringing it closer. Sasuke's neat handwriting covered one line. _I'll miss you. I'll call when I can._ Naruto broke into another smile. Bringing the paper toward his face, he pressed a kiss to the letters. Two days shouldn't be too horrible, he hoped.

* * *

 **A/N:** As an apology for not updating for a long time, I'm updating two chapters. Enjoy!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Two days! He thought two days would be easy, but he was wrong in so many ways. Yes, he and Sasuke had traded calls for the one night, but it didn't last more than fifteen minutes, partially because Sasuke needed to sleep early and Naruto worked till late. He sighed dejectedly as he flopped onto bed. _Tomorrow_. Sasuke was coming back tomorrow. The thought made him feel better and at least life at home was easier. Boruto and Sarada had made up just like Himawari had said and the kids were going back to school. But it left him with nothing to do except wait. And waiting was never his forte. He was impatient, just like how he was impatient to do more than just kisses or touches with Sasuke. He was getting antsy—bad enough to where he ordered some gay porn online to have it delivered to the apartment because he was _not_ going to an AV store so his neighbors could see him buying gay porn. It wasn't that he was ashamed. Then again, he knew it wasn't any of his neighbors' business what he bought. Still, it was more for Sasuke than for himself. If their neighbors ever found out and saw Sasuke hanging out with him, rumors would spread. It would make it difficult for his lover. Besides, online shopping was fast too. The DVDs would be arriving tomorrow before Sasuke got home which gave him plenty of time to hide them and watch them for research later, specifically when Sasuke was at work and the children at school.

Sleep. He needed to sleep because sleeping made time go faster and because tomorrow was a big day for him. Naruto rolled inside the blankets, forcing his eyes close. _Tomorrow. Sasuke is coming home_. His last thoughts trickled into a sigh before he was seized by his dreams.

The sun rose with the next day. The kids were gone by the time he woke up. A flowery, cute paper was stuck to the refrigerator. A note written by Sarada telling him that breakfast was in the fridge. He smiled as he looked at her handwriting. It was similar to Sasuke's. Neatly printed and easy to read. He opened the fridge to take out the food. Just as he was heating it, a ding on his cell caught his attention. Grabbing his phone from his back pocket, he swiped to unlock it. A message from Sasuke told him that he would be returning sometime in the evening. Naruto smiled. That made things much easier. He ate in a much happier mood. And once everything was washed and clean, he sat down on the couch and waited. And waited some more. An hour passed and still no doorbell ring. Naruto stood, fretting over the package. It should have arrived by now. He double checked the tracking. The numbers ten o' clock stared back at him. It was 10:30 now. He needed to get ready for work, but his package was missing. He scrolled down his phone and saw a note. _Delivered_. Naruto gaped at the confirmation. He didn't hear a doorbell ring or even a knock. Cursing under his breath, he rushed to the door and opened it in time to see Gaara standing in front of him holding a brown box. Naruto stared, then glanced down to the package, and back up to Gaara. His red hair neighbor smiled serenely.

"They dropped off the package to the wrong apartment. I told them I would take it to you myself since you only lived a floor up." Gaara held the box to him. "So, let me guess...the first timer gay porn video?"

Naruto flushed. He felt his face heat in embarrassment. This was the worst. He quickly took the box from Gaara, muttering a thank you under his breath.

"It's pretty heavy. How many did you buy? Unless...you got some toys along with it?" Gaara asked curiously.

"Never!" Naruto exclaimed. Even his ears were burning from the sheer embarrassment. "I...I—"

"You and Uchiha haven't done it yet?"

"...No," Naruto answered reluctantly.

"Hmmm...you know, those videos aren't good for research."

"I know..."

"Okay...then good day."

Gaara turned to leave, but Naruto hesitantly called out his name to stop him. "Ga-Gaara?"

His neighbor stopped, turning sideways to let his head tilt and look at him. "Hm?"

"Well...I mean...you're more knowledgeable about this than I am. What...what should I do?"

"Should I show you?" Gaara asked.

Taken aback, Naruto's mouth flapped open and close, but only a tiny squeaked answered. With Gaara, he couldn't tell if the man was serious or joking. Luckily, Gaara smiled indicating the latter.

"I'm joking," he said.

Naruto sighed in relief.

"Or am I?" Gaara added.

Naruto tensed again. He glared at his neighbor who broke into a light chuckle. Gaara walked back to him and closed in so no one could hear them.

"You're fun to tease, Naruto. I can see Uchiha taking advantage of that. But in all seriousness, the best thing to remember is preparation," Gaara said.

"P-preparation?" Naruto didn't know what he had to do to prepare.

"Come on now, Naruto. Anal sex isn't all that different from having anal sex with a woman. You just use the asshole."

Hearing such vulgar words coming out of the face of Gaara who looked so innocent was embarrassing. He felt his face flush once more. "I...I've never..."

"Oh? Well then..." Gaara raised his hand, then folded three fingers so his index and middle finger were the only two up. He wiggled them back and forth. "Lots of lube and stretching in the asshole to make room for the cock. Simple. Go slow and don't be deterred if he goes soft. Sometimes, the pain from entering can make any man go soft. For anal virgins, the best position is, hmm...probably missionary. Be sure to have a pillow for support in case. That's pretty much it."

Words failed him again. Gaara was a friend, one who he felt he could call a close friend. There was just something about Gaara that made him feel like he and Gaara were similar. However, hearing Gaara speak about sex in general was still off putting. It made him blush like a teenage boy learning about sex for the first time. But it was better getting advice from someone the same age as him rather than his fathers. Asking them would have been too embarrassing.

Sheepishly smiling, he thanked the other man as he left. Closing the door, Naruto banged his head against the it with a loud sigh. This may be tougher than he expected. Holding the box closer to his chest, he regained his composure. Quickly, he hid the box under his bed and hurriedly left his apartment before he was late for work. Thinking about Sasuke and how to approach him about their sex life was a topic he would think about later.

* * *

When he returned home, he hadn't expected to see lights still on. Surprised, he quickly removed his shoes and hurried to the living room. Sasuke, his beautiful raven haired lover, sat on the couch with a beer can in hand. Naruto glanced over to the coffee table. Three more cans littered the table top and judging by the popped tabs, they were most likely empty. A wash of worry cast over him. Loosening his jacket, he padded over to the couch and sat down beside him. "Welcome home," he greeted slowly.

"Thanks. You too," Sasuke replied. There wasn't a single slur in his words, yet there was something behind them.

Sasuke lifted the can to his lips to take another swing, but Naruto reached over and took it away from him. He gulped down the rest of the fizzy liquid, then placed it on the table to join the other empty cans. He sat back again, turning slightly to face Sasuke. "Want to tell me what's wrong?"

"I spoke to Boruto." Sasuke rolled his head to the side. His eyes glided over to gaze at him from the corner.

Naruto's heartbeat palpitated with apprehension. His skin felt clammy and his fingers began to fidget. He leaned in closer. "And?"

"He didn't say anything, so I don't know. You might find out tomorrow."

"Oh." He dejectedly let out a breath. Another waiting process for him. "Okay. Are the kids sleeping in the room?"

"Yes. Boruto seemed fine talking with Sarada and Himawari, so I'm hoping his response will be positive."

"Yeah..." Nervously, Naruto scooted closer. He could smell the alcohol on Sasuke's breath. Their hips bumped. Knees pressed lightly together, shoulder to shoulder. Sasuke tilted his head, resting it against his. "What did you guys talk about?"

"Oh, this and that," Sasuke replied tiredly.

"What's this and that?"

Sasuke was shifting his body. He turned, wrapping an arm around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss. Naruto willingly gave it to him, but there was something different about Sasuke. The look in his eyes seemed distant as if he was looking somewhere else. A sharp pang pulled his chest. He knew that look. Naruto pressed his forehead against Sasuke's. His hands cupped his lover's face. His thumbs soothingly rubbed his cheeks. "Let's get you to bed," he whispered.

"Don't wanna..." Sasuke complained. "Not tired. Let's have sex."

Sasuke was jumping everywhere. Maybe if he was himself, Naruto would have jumped at the suggestion, but tonight, he wanted to comfort his lover by being there for him. Shaking his head, he pulling Sasuke up from the couch. "No, let's do that another time...when you are more focused. Tonight, you should just sleep. Come on." He pulled Sasuke to the bedroom where he helped him undress and laid into bed. He quickly left to take a quick shower, then returned to lay down next to a sleeping Sasuke. He barely put his head on the pillow when Sasuke suddenly rolled right next to him.

"Hold me," he begged quietly.

Obliging to his lover's wish, he wrapped his arm around him. Trembles reverberated from Sasuke through him. He tightened his hold, tucking Sasuke's head under his chin. There weren't tears, but Sasuke continued to quiver in his hold. He rubbed tiny circles on his back, hoping his presence would take away any lingering ghosts of the past. He didn't need Sasuke's words to know what topic he spoke to Boruto with.

"Thank you," Sasuke muttered.

Naruto responded with a chaste kiss to the top of his head. "Sleep tight." And Sasuke did, softly breathing in and out a calm rhythm that quelled him to sleep as well.

When he woke up, it was to another empty bed. Naruto blinked in confusion. He knew he hadn't dreamed last night. Sitting up, Naruto saw another note on the bed side table. He picked it up, reading it. Sasuke had returned to his apartment early to unpack. Naruto frowned. He wanted to wake up next to him. Sighing, he got up and walked out. It was still early, so the kids weren't awake yet. Trekking through the apartment, he found himself heading toward the balcony. He slid open the glass door, stepping out onto the cold flooring. The air was still brisk cold from the morning, but it felt good on his face. Sighing to himself, Naruto leaned against the railing. Dawn peeked over the horizon with its vibrant orange yellow hues. Although he wasn't a morning person, he was glad to have woken up to see the sight for himself. The morning rush stirred at the first light touching the roofs of distance houses. He closed his eyes, listening to them. The rumbles of cars, the rattling of the morning trains, and the ringing of bicycle bells echoed somewhere in the distance. And then soft footsteps caught his attention. His eyes fluttered open as his body tensed. He shifted on his feet, making room for the extra person to stand beside him. Boruto's head appeared in the corner of his gaze and then his son was standing beside him in silence. They let the moment pass in silence, just letting the noises encircle them.

"I spoke to _him_ yesterday," Boruto whispered to break the silence.

Naruto hummed in response. His arms rested on the rail, fingers intertwined. Patience. And yet his heart beat faster, pounding loudly in his ears. It wash over the morning noises, leaving him apprehensive. He squeezed his hands together till the tips turned white. And still he waited for his son to continue.

"He told me..." Boruto exhaled. "Uncle Sasuke told me about his wife and um...that it was hard for him to accept your...your relationship in the beginning. And that sometimes even now, he still struggles. Sometimes, he wonders why you love him. But he also said that he wasn't going to give up that little bit of happiness he finally regained. He said he loves you, but that you can't replace his wife, just like how he can't replace mom. He said he didn't want to replace mom. He knows how important she was to you and us.

Uncle Sasuke has a special space in your heart just like you do in his, but not in the same place where mom or his wife was. Because mom and his deceased wife will always have a special place in there somewhere. Never forgotten, but you and him can't be tied down by the past. Moving on, learning to love again, it's just another step into the future. At least, that's what he said. And I...I understand. I just thought that if you found someone else...that maybe you would forget about mom and that made me sad. I didn't want you to forget mom... _I_ didn't want to forget mom. I didn't want her to feel alone."

Naruto released his fingers from their tight grip. Slowly, he turned to face Boruto. His son trembled in the orange light; his eyes glistened, holding back tears. It broke his heart. Reaching over, he ruffled Boruto's hair, then brought him into a hug. "I will never forget your mother. I love Sasuke, but it doesn't mean I never loved her."

"I know." Boruto's muffled voice shook. "And...and I'm _okay_ with it because you and Uncle Sasuke deserve to be happy too."

"He and I were always happy. I had you and Himawari and he had Sarada. We were already happy, but now that we also have each other and along with some new additions, we're even happier and that's what makes it important. Don't you think?" Naruto stepped back, lifting Boruto's head along so he could see him.

Red rimmed eyes looked up at him while Boruto nodded. "Yeah."

Smiling, he pulled Boruto into another hug. He didn't know how long he stood there holding Boruto, but a small cough interrupted him. Glancing up, he found Himawari standing by the doorway smiling at them. He returned her smile, then lifted his arm to invite her into their hug. Himawari giggled, rushing into their embrace. The three of them hugged for a little while longer before Boruto finally pushed away.

His son huffed, then waved him off. "Go. I'm sure Uncle Sasuke would want to know my response."

He ruffled the head of both of his children before he left for the front door. As he opened it, he heard Himawari's voice asking Boruto if he made up with Sasuke and him. He waited for a moment, hoping to hear Boruto's answer.

A second passed, then Boruto answered, "Yeah. I want them to be happy. I'm sure...mom wants that too."

Before he could be overcome by his emotion, he shut the door behind him. He took a moment to compose himself and then made his way to Sasuke's door. He knocked and waited. When he didn't hear anything, he reached for the doorbell. But as his finger hovered over the button, the door clicked open. Sasuke stood between the door way. He looked fine, but Naruto didn't trust his appearance. Smiling, he greeted his lover. "Morning. You left earlier than I wanted."

"Thought I should unpack soon," Sasuke said.

"Can I come in?"

Sasuke hesitated, but stepped aside. Naruto shimmied his way in. He walked to the couch and sat down without waiting for Sasuke's invitation. Looking over his shoulder, he waved for his lover to sit next to him. Patiently, he waited as Sasuke made his way over. Sasuke sat gingerly next to him, leaving a large gap between them. Not wanting to leave Sasuke in the dark for any longer, he pulled him into his arms. He held tightly onto Sasuke, whispering into his ears, "Boruto is okay with us." He heard Sasuke inhale sharply. Laughing shakily, he continued, "He told me a few minutes ago...but he also told me why you sometimes wonder why I love you."

Sasuke tensed, then pushed himself away. His lover sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "He told you that too."

"He told me a lot of things you spoke to him about...Sasuke," Naruto tugged him till they were facing each other. He leaned in, kissing Sasuke's forehead, nose tip, and then his lips. "I love you. I love your rare smiles. I love the little huff of laugh you make because it means you're enjoying yourself more than you think. I love how you silently care about Sarada, about me and my children. I love how strong you can be...I love how courageous you are...I love how far you've come along beside me even through all the struggles. I love—"

"Stop," Sasuke whispered.

His lover's hands pressed against his mouth. It didn't stop him from continuing though. He pulled Sasuke's hands away, then lifted them again. He kissed each knuckle, then turned them over and kissed the palm of each hand. Smiling into them, he whispered, "I love every inch of hair and skin of you. I love your beautiful eyes." He pushed forward till Sasuke was laying on the sofa. His body covered his, molded to fit against one another. Tipping his head, he kissed Sasuke gently once, then twice. Their mouth moved against another, turning feverish with a slip of a tongue. Hands roamed over clothed bodies, touching to feel closer. Bodies shifted, writhing in pleasure.

Sasuke pulled back from their kiss with a gasp. "Naruto," he muttered.

"I love you," Naruto whispered, "I love everything about you."

Sasuke crushed their lips together once more. They kissed longingly, deeply because this was their moment—in the silence of the apartment, just him and Sasuke. And that was all that mattered.

* * *

 **A/N:** A short chapter. Hope it was okay. I am working on the next chapter, but I may not be posting it soon...because it's been a while since I've written (I mean, sure I've updated some other fanfics, but...) and I'm not really happy with my writing right now. I haven't read much of anything either (probably why my writing sucks right now). (v.v) But I will try my best to continue.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Sasuke and he had decided to tell both Himawari and Sarada a few days later after Boruto's acceptance. Much to their surprise, the two girls already suspected something was going on between them—Naruto claimed it as a woman's intuition—and accepted them faster than Boruto did.

Before long, weeks had gone by. And yet, despite the misunderstandings ending and the children accepting them, romance was dry. He and Sasuke didn't have a lot of private time together. If it wasn't work keeping them apart, then it was their responsibilities as dads. They could only kiss maybe twice a day, but anything more than that was usually interrupted. Naruto couldn't take much more. Masturbation to an imagination of Sasuke in the shower could only do so much to satisfy his returning libido.

The porn DVDs he had also bought remained under his bed untouched. Every time he decided he was going to watch it, he backed out. He blamed it on his nerves. He couldn't work up the courage to watch them. And then there was Gaara. Each time he met him by chance outside, his red hair neighbor always gave him a look, then asked if he watched them yet. Naruto never replied to him, but his silence always told his neighbor the answer and Gaara would always smile knowingly.

Sighing, Naruto sat on his bed, running his fingers through his blond hair. The kids were at school and Sasuke had already gone to work. Alone. He could watch them now, but he couldn't wash away the feeling like he was doing something bad. He fidgeted with his fingers, tapped his foot against the ground, then finally exhaled loudly. Hurriedly, he stood and made a round in his apartment. He checked the windows if they were locked, closed the curtains, checked the front door, locked it as well, and then returned to the room. He knelt on the floor, reaching under his bed and pulling out the taped box. He hadn't even opened it. Taking another breath, he quickly ripped off the tape, then opened it slowly.

The first DVD stared up at him. On the cover was a man around his late twenties, kneeling in a provocative position with nothing on but a black thong. He swallowed hard. There was no going back. He picked it up and settled onto his bed. His laptop was turned on, ready for him to insert the DVD. He steeled his nerves and finally slipped the disk in. He plugged in the headphones, putting them into his ears as he hit the play button. A cheesy music played in the background as an office came into view. Naruto gulped. The character from the cover walked in holding a manila folder. He wanted to show the report to his boss, but when he did, the boss was disappointed in the lack of statistics. The young employee needed to be _punished_.

Naruto admitted the lines were very cheesy and nearly turned him off, but then the sex scene appeared in less than a minute. The young man was thrown onto the desk, bent over as his much shorter boss tugged his pants down. Dirty lines spilled from the boss's lips as he unbuckled his own belt and slipped his pants down. Naruto's eyes widened at the size of the man's girth. It was _huge_. He didn't think it could fit.

" _What's this? You're already all prepared for me. Can't wait for my cock to ram inside you?" the boss asked, pressing himself against his employee's back and whispering into his ear. His tongue flicked, licking along the earlobe. "I want you to beg for it, Jaeger."_

" _Please...please Boss," the young man pleaded. "I want you inside me."_

" _You want what?"_

" _I want...I want your big cock inside me! Fuck me, please!"_

And then the boss was entering the young man. The camera did a close up of the boss thrusting into his young employee. In. Out. In. The loud sound of flesh and the image of the penis being enveloped did many things to Naruto. He felt his stomach flutter and warm at the sight. Coupled with the young man's moan, Naruto was aroused in seconds. The young employee was moaning even louder, calling out his boss's name.

" _Levi! Levi! Yessss...there! Right there!" The young man begged, arching his back in a beautiful bow._

 _Levi, the boss, gripped the young man's hair, thrusting harder into him. "You like that, Eren?"_

" _Yes!"_

Naruto's hand covered over his tenting pants. He wanted to touch. He wanted to wrap his hands around—suddenly one side of his ear phone was tugged out.

"Naruto," Sasuke's voice whispered right next to his ear.

Startled, he yelped and jolted to the side. The ear phones unplugged from the sudden forceful tug. The erotic moans from the DVD blasted from the laptop speakers at hundred percent. The room was filled with the noises of moaning and pounding flesh. Naruto froze from shock for a moment. A minute must have ticked by before he lunged to closed his laptop, ceasing the voices. Silence. Naruto couldn't look at Sasuke, who now stood beside him, staring at the box of porn DVDs. "I-i-is there a reason why you're back?" he asked, not looking at his lover.

"I left my report behind. I text you to let you know I was coming back, but when I rang the doorbell, you didn't answer, so I opened it with the extra key you gave me," Sasuke answered. There was definitely amusement in his tone. "And then I came in here and saw you watching...that."

Naruto closed his eyes in embarrassment. This couldn't be happening. He didn't want to believe it. The bed dipped beside him and shook slightly from Sasuke's quiet laughter. He felt Sasuke trying to make him turn toward him, but he immediately covered his face as Sasuke succeeded in tugging him to turn in his direction. He could hear Sasuke's amused huff. "Nooooo," Naruto whined, "you weren't suppose to see this!"

"Naruto," Sasuke said amusingly, "you're red to the tip of your ears."

"Noo!"

Chuckling, Sasuke pried his hands away. "Please tell you aren't using porn as reference."

"...yes and no."

Sasuke arched his brow at him. "You know porn is just exaggerated. You can't—"

"I know! I know that...I-I...I was feeling...restless."

"Restless?"

"You and I..." Naruto sighed. He was already caught, so there wasn't a point in lying. "You and I haven't done... _anything_ , other than kiss for a while. I was getting antsy. I want...you _know_."

"You want to have sex?"

Naruto groaned, covering his face once more. "I'm a pervert!"

Sasuke huffed another laugh. "You're a grown man who hasn't had sex in a while. There isn't anything wrong with that. It just means you're still very...youthful."

"That doesn't make me feel better."

"Naruto," Sasuke said as he pulled his hands away again, "you're not the only one. I want to do more too. I get it. We're working and we're always with the kids, so we don't have time. So, I was thinking...next weekend, let's call your parents over to watch the kids. I can take some time off and you and I can go to a hot spring. Just you and me."

He looked up in surprise. Licking his lower lip, he cleared his throat. "R-really?"

"Mm-hmm. Actually, I should say I already made reservations. I was going to surprise you this weekend."

"O-oh." Naruto blushed. A hot spring trip with just him and Sasuke. All sort of images floated into his head. He felt his face grow hotter. Sheepishly, he rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Th-that's...nice."

" _Now_ you're getting flustered?" Sasuke arched a brow. "When you sucked me—"

"Ahhh!" Naruto lunged, covering Sasuke's mouth with his hands as they flopped onto the bed. "Don't say it!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and pulled his away, He finished his sentence, "You weren't even fazed."

"I was swept in the mood."

"I see." Sasuke tipped his head, kissing him chastely. "Well, try to be swept in the mood again once we get to the hot spring. Oh, and call your parents to ask them first."

Naruto nodded obediently as he sat up to let Sasuke go. He briefly glanced back to his laptop, then over to Sasuke. His lover noticed and smirked. Naruto pressed his lips together.

"Feel free to continue watching," Sasuke teased.

"No!" Naruto shouted as he picked up one of the pillow and threw it at Sasuke's retreating back. He huffed before getting up to walk Sasuke out. He walked with him until the entrance of the apartment complex and then waved his lover off. Just as he turned, his eyes connected with green eyes. He flushed once more. Gaara tilted his head, giving him a small knowing smile.

"Got caught?" he asked.

"Are you psychic?" Naruto mumbled.

Chuckling, his red hair neighbor shook his head. Gaara strolled over to him, taking out his cell in the process. "You have Line?"

"Yeah."

"Let's trade info."

Naruto dug out his cell from his pocket and traded their Line information. Seconds later, he received a YouTube link from Gaara. Frowning in confusion, he looked up from his screen. "What's this?"

Gaara merely smiled. "Listen to it with headphones. I think...you'll rather enjoy it."

"It's not...you know..."

"Porn? Depends how you think of it. Don't worry, the thumbnail is just an image. Just sit back, listen, and enjoy."

"Okay?" Naruto decided to trust his neighbor. They said their goodbyes and by the time Naruto had returned to his apartment, it was already time for him to go to work. Heaving a long sigh, he ejected the DVD from his laptop and packed everything away. He wasn't sure if he would get another chance to watch it again. He debated if he should sell them online, but decided to just keep them stored away...safely. After stuffing the box back under the bed, he got ready for work.

* * *

Work had been going well until a sudden headache began its slow throb. As he worked, the headache got worst. It even started to affect his vision. Naruto took a moment to rest in the back. Leaning against the wall, he pressed his palms against his eyes rubbing harshly. The throbbing in his head continued to pound loudly. He took a sigh and relaxed his arms, realizing one side was slightly numb. He massaged it, hoping it would go away soon. As he tried to mentally get himself back to work, Teuchi walked into the back and noticed him

The old owner strolled over and patted his shoulder. "It's a tough day. You don't look so good. Maybe you should head home."

"Ah, no. I can still work," Naruto said insistently.

"It's okay. Ayame, Nishi, Matsu, and I can handle the rest. It's not so bad now. The busy hour has already passed. You go on home and rest."

"Mmm, thanks."

Naruto bowed then he removed his apron and headed out. On his way home, however, he had to stop momentarily at a nearby park to rest. He wondered if he should call Sasuke to pick him up, but decided against it. Forcing himself to stand, he made his way back home and arrived back in one piece. Walking inside, he found Sasuke in the kitchen cooking. The children were no where in sight. Seeing the scene before him was like medicine. The pain of his headache seem to reduce along with the numbness in his arm.

Smiling, he announced, "I'm home."

Sasuke turned from the stove and replied, "Welcome home. You're early."

Naruto walked into the kitchen, explaining he had left early because of his headache. When he mentioned his headache, Sasuke set the ladle down and wiped his hands, then placed it on his forehead. Naruto's stomach fluttered. He smiled at his lover's antic. These little things that he did always made Naruto's heart quiver in warmth. Sasuke didn't often show his affection, but when he did, it was always heartwarming. Closing his eyes, he let Sasuke shower him with his affection. After a moment, Sasuke returned to his cooking.

"You don't feel feverish," Sasuke said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I don't feel lethargic either," he said.

"Hmm...think you can wait to eat medicine after dinner? I want you to have something in your stomach before you do."

"Yeah." Naruto hovered by Sasuke, watching as his lover stirred the pot of beef stew. He probably hovered too long because Sasuke eventually turned to him and raised a brow. Chuckling, he stepped behind Sasuke and wrapped his arms around his waist. His chin rested on Sasuke's shoulder. He nuzzled his nose into the crook of Sasuke's neck, taking a whiff of his fresh soap scent. Smiling into his neck, Naruto mumbled, "You're so cute." A light smack bopped him on his head, making him wince.

"What is this old man saying to another old man? Calling me cute. No old man wants to hear that," Sasuke grumbled.

Naruto laughed. He raised his head, but didn't let go of Sasuke and Sasuke didn't complain either. Caught in their own little world, Naruto hadn't heard the tiny patter of footsteps down the hall. Hoping to steal a kiss, he turned his face to chastely brush his lips against Sasuke's pale cheek. His mouth was centimeters away when Himawari's sweet voice interrupted them.

"Daddy?" his daughter called out.

Naruto immediately released Sasuke and swiveled on his toes. Embarrassed his daughter might have seen them, he chuckled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. Himawari stared back at him, then smiled brightly.

"Welcome home," she greeted.

"Thank...you..." Naruto replied. He was slightly disappointed he didn't get to at least kiss Sasuke.

As if she read his mind, Himawari waved to Naruto. "Ah, I interrupted didn't I?" She cheekily turned around, saying, "Sorry, I'll leave you two adults alone."

As her father, Naruto could only watch in silent disbelief. He slowly turned to face Sasuke, catching the beet red ear tips of his lover. "My daughter...is growing up too fast," he muttered.

Sasuke blinked. His head tilted and he gave him a side glance. "All children do. Before you know it, they're already adults."

"Ahhhh! Don't say that!" Naruto covered his ears dramatically. Himawari was his youngest and his only daughter. He didn't want her to grow up yet. And then he thought about the oncoming teenage years. He feared the future. "Why can't she stay little?"

"Because if she did, we wouldn't have time to ourselves now, would we?" Sasuke gave him a pointed look.

His words stopped Naruto's swirling mind mid-track. Blinking slowly, he dropped his hands. It was true. "You're a genius."

"Of course. Now go sit down before your headache gets worst."

"Eh? I can help set up the table. It isn't as bad as it was at work."

Sasuke was about to disagree, but Naruto insisted. He walked over to the cabinet and began grabbing plats and silverware. Eventually, the table was set with the piping, hot food served. Naruto called for the children to come eat. In seconds, laughter and chattering filled the living room area and kitchen. As they settled down to eat with the kids telling them about their day at school, Naruto sat back and watched his family. Sasuke sitting opposite of him with Sarada besides him and Boruto and Himawari across from her, it was truly a picturesque moment. He never thought his life would once again be filled with such happiness after Hinata's death. But here he was, sitting at the dining table with his _family_. His gaze drifted over them until they locked with Sasuke. A silent looked shared between them. They both understood. If he could, he would have reached over and grasp Sasuke's hand in his. But smiling and looking into his eyes would have to do. Taking a breath, he returned his attention to the kids once more and listened to their outrageous stories.

After dinner, the children settled into bed and went to sleep. Sasuke was laying in bed beside him reading a book. The reading glasses he had on rested gently on the bridge of his nose, never faltering. Naruto flicked on his cell phone and remembered the message Gaara had sent to him on LINE. He opened up the messenger and clicked on his chat with his red hair neighbor. The link glared at him. Still unsure what his neighbor was up to, he reached into the drawer beside the bed and dug out his earphones from earlier. Plugging it in, he stuck the ear buds inside, then clicked on the link. YouTube flicked onto his screen with a loading circle. It took a moment to load, but the moment the video began, a husky voice brushed his ears, sending shivers down his back.

Naruto jolted in surprise, which in turn surprised Sasuke. He looked over his lover and smiled apologetically before looking back to the screen, still shocked. _Sasuke_. It was Sasuke's voice whispering into his ears with seductiveness. But...it couldn't be him either. It was just someone who had a similar voice. Even so, it was...arousing. Sasuke's voice imitator whispered into his ears one at a time, asking him what he wanted, flirtatiously teased him with his promises. And then as if the whispering wasn't arousing enough, the groaning started. It started off small, then became louder, followed with heavy pants and breathy sighs. Naruto's ears were surrounded by Sasuke's voice. He didn't even notice Sasuke reaching over until one of his ear bud was plucked yet again. He yelped in surprise and quickly clicked out of the video.

Sasuke arched a brow. "What are you watching so intently that you didn't hear me calling?"

"Uhh..." Naruto bit his bottom lip, unsure how to respond. However, he didn't need to because Sasuke lifted the ear bud he had taken out and stuck it into one of his own and reached over to hit the play button. This all happened in a span less than a minute. He didn't get to stop his lover as the video began playing again. The sudden voice making wet noises of smacking lips stilled both Naruto and Sasuke. Not wanting to look any worst because of what happened earlier that afternoon, Naruto turned his head in the other direction. He could feel Sasuke staring into the back of his head. The worst of it was the voice that sounded creepily like Sasuke who continued to moan into the microphone.

With a sigh from Sasuke, he tensed. The video was clicked off and the loosening of the ear buds meant Sasuke had removed it from his ear. Slowly, he courageously looked back to his lover. He blushed, smiling sheepishly. "So, yeah..." Naruto muttered. Sasuke huffed. For a moment, he thought Sasuke would scold him, but instead his lover's shoulders began to shake in what appeared to be laughing. Flushing in embarrassment, he pushed Sasuke to the side. "Ahh! I know! You don't have to laugh!"

"But—" Sasuke interrupted himself with another soft chuckle, "Naruto, you must be really _backed up_."

"Shut up!" Naruto took out the other ear bud and unplugged it from his phone.

He placed the ear buds and his phone on the end desk, preparing for bed. He never got a chance to lay down. Sasuke pushed him against the headboard, entrapping him between his toned arms. His nose brushed against his. He could feel the wet, hot breath of Sasuke as he smiled mischievously. His pink tongue flicked out, licking his lower lip. Naruto followed the movement of the tongue intensely. The way it traveled smoothly over pretty lips and how it quickly darted back into Sasuke's gorgeous, hot mouth. Gulping slowly, he pressed back on the headboard as Sasuke leaned in, his lips brushing his right ear.

"So, you like my voice?" he whispered in a low tone.

Shivers tingled down Naruto's spine. He gulped again, nodding his head slowly.

"What do you like about it?"

Naruto opened his mouth, but could only squeak. Sasuke huffed a laugh. He turned his head and his tongue flicked out again, licking along his ear. His teeth caught his earlobe, sucking it into his mouth. Naruto groaned. The real deal was much better than an imitated voice. However, he wasn't going to let himself be teased. Lifting his hand, he gripped Sasuke's shirt. Turning his head swiftly, he smashed their lips together, flopping them onto the bed. His hands found their way to Sasuke's wrist, and he gripped them firmly.

The bulge in his pants pressed tightly on the cloth of his boxers. Pushing his hips, he felt Sasuke's erection brush his. Moaning, he pushed harder, grinding roughly. Sasuke gasped into his kiss, but pulled immediately to whisper his name. "Sasuke...you shouldn't tease me," Naruto growled, "I can't take it."

"I know. Me too," Sasuke whispered gruffly.

Groaning, Naruto worked to pulled down their pants. With both pairs of sleeping pants wrapped around their thighs, leaving only their throbbing dicks pulsing in the cool air, Naruto slotted their groins, plunging them into a heavy friction of push and pull. His hand worked its way in between, gripping their cocks together. He jerked, adding more pleasure to the intensity. Naruto dipped his head, thrusting hard as Sasuke threw his head back, his body arching to match his thrusting pace.

"Fuck...Sasuke, so close," he moaned.

"Me too...Naruto...uhn," Sasuke hoarsely muttered.

His toes and fingertips tingle just as he climaxed, thrusting one last time. Sasuke followed shortly, gasping unevenly. Breathing heavily, Naruto rolled off Sasuke. Their sticky mess slathered on his abdomen. Sighing, he lazily rolled his head to the side. "So, can't wait for next weekend," he said cheekily.

Sasuke rolled his head. "Did you call your parents yet?"

"Ah, no. I'll do it tomorrow."

"Mmm...we should clean up."

"Yeah."

Cleaned and dressed again, they snuggled into bed after turning off the lights. Naruto sighed into Sasuke's hair. He was nearly half asleep when Sasuke nudged him awake again. Blinking sleepily, he hummed to let Sasuke know he was listening.

"Is the box of porn hidden under the bed?" he asked.

Naruto blinked awake. "Uh, yeah?"

"...you should hide it elsewhere."

"Why? I think it's fine there..."

"..."

Sasuke pulled away from his arms. Even in the darkness, he could tell Sasuke was arching a brow at him. "S'fine," he mumbled.

"Where did you usually hide them when Hinata was still alive?" he asked.

"I never had any when I was married."

"Really?" The skepticism in Sasuke's voice was clear. "None?"

"None. I was an honest man. Hinata was the only one for me."

"Fine."

There was still skepticism, but Naruto merely hummed in agreement. "S'true."

"Where did you hide them when you were a teenager?" Sasuke asked instead.

"Under my mattress...or in between my clothes in the closet."

"...I bet your parents found them easily."

"How did you know?" Naruto lifted his head questioningly.

Sasuke huffed. With a shake of his head, he replied, "How simple minded."

"Well excuse me for being simple minded. I didn't think my parents would invade my privacy. What about you? Where did you hide them?"

"In a secret compartment in the drawer of my desk."

Naruto could hear the smugness in Sasuke's voice. Giving a breathless laugh, he shook his head at how proud Sasuke sounded. He shifted slightly so their legs would tangle together. "Really? That much work to hide a stash of porn? Young teenage boys need their release too." He could feel, rather than see, Sasuke shrug.

"My older brother liked to tease me a lot. Apparently, even my secret compartment wasn't enough to stop him from finding it." Sasuke had huffed in annoyance, but there was a hint of fondness hidden behind the tone.

"You have an older brother?"

"...had."

"Oh..."

He wasn't sure how to respond. He wanted to ask, but the way how Sasuke had worded his last phrase, there was a story there that he wasn't ready to touch upon. Naruto chose to pull Sasuke back into an embrace. He would wait till Sasuke was ready to tell him. There wasn't a point in opening up another wound. It seemed his beautiful raven hair lover had many mysterious things about him which he still had much to learn about. But each one would come at its own time and he would wait, no matter how long, even if patience wasn't his best virtue. "Good night, Sasuke," he whispered.

* * *

 **A/N:** I know I said I probably wasn't going to post this chapter any time soon (still not that happy with my writing)...but seeing as I already completed it, here it is. However, my apologies, not much happened in this chapter. More will happen in the next. They still have a week before their trip and...stuff will happen before then.

Anyways, yes, I had a Levi x Eren moment, because why not, haha. But that will be their only appearance.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Loud chatter floated through the tiny ramen diner. Naruto bustled around the tables, taking orders and delivering bowls of steaming ramen soup. A few regulars had been concerned about him since he had left early yesterday and even told him to take it easy. He thanked them, feeling a hint of warmth from their concern. The people who came to Teuchi's ramen shop were a variety of people. Sometimes there were a few high school students. Other times, there were office workers, hosts and hostesses, police officers, and even a few questionable customers that may be involved in the darker side of society. But they were all customers who talked a lot, shared their stories, and laughed together. Here in this place, it didn't matter what part of life they came from. They were customers, people who shared similar struggles despite different paths they walked. When they left, the heaviness they came with, vanished. This was what Naruto loved about Teuchi's ramen restaurant. If one day he could own a place himself, he wanted it to feel just as welcomed as it did here.

Smiling as he lifted another tray onto his arm, he made his way back to the dining tables. He walked over to one of the tables, calling out their orders and setting the bowls down. He bowed to them just as another customer called out to him for a refill on a glass of water. He hurried over with a pitcher and refilled it immediately, but before he could return the pitcher, his cell phone he kept in his back pocket began to buzz. Taken slightly by surprise, he nearly jostled the water from its container. Apologizing profusely, he made his way to the back of the kitchen after setting the pitcher down. Swiping his phone, he answered wondering who was calling him since he didn't recognize the number. Tentatively, he answered after peeking at the time on his phone. Two hours in from his shift. He hoped it wasn't any bad news.

"Is this Mr Uzumaki?" A female voice asked from the other side of the line.

"Yes, this is he," he replied, straightening his back. He didn't know what it was, but the tone of the other person from the other line made him feel as if he was in school again facing his principle.

"I'm Principle Tsunade of Konoha Junior High School. Your son, Uzumaki Boruto, attends here. I'm calling you because he instigated a fight and is currently in my office. The other student's parents already came to pick him up. Please come to the school immediately so I can discuss with you the repercussions of your son's actions."

Naruto froze. _Boruto was in trouble for getting into a fight?_ He knew his son was mischievous, but never enough to hit someone else. If that happened, usually it was for someone else. When he had replied, Tsunade's firm voice came through the line again. Apologizing for not speaking immediately, Naruto confirmed he would be there as soon as he could. After hanging up, he gave a long sigh. He briefly wondered what had annoyed his son to the point where he fought someone, but decided that would be a story he would have to hear from Boruto.

Exiting the kitchen, he walked over to Teuchi and pulled him aside. He hoped the old man wouldn't mind him leaving early today as well. "Boruto's school just called. Something happened and I need to pick him up. Is it okay if I leave for today? I'm sorry. I know I left early yesterday too and just got in today..."

"It's okay. Must be something terrible if the school is calling you. Go on ahead. We got it handled here," Teuchi replied sympathetically.

"Thank you, sir." Naruto bowed once to him, then quickly removed his apron. Once he was back in his normal clothes, he waved goodbye to the customers and the other employees before leaving the ramen shop.

He arrived at the school a few minutes later. As he walked toward the gates, he spotted Sarada standing beside Himawari. Worried as to why they were there waiting, he quickened his pace and met up with them. "What happened?" he asked worriedly, squatting down to reach their eye level.

"Boruto got into a fight," Sarada said repeating what Tsunade had told him. "Some older boy from a year up was teasing him. I didn't hear what was said, but it pissed off Boruto. The next thing I know, they were fighting. The senpai's friends jumped in to help, but Shikadai was able to stop them before things got worst and then the teachers came and pulled Boruto and that senpai aside. I saw the senpai already left with his parents. His mom didn't look too happy. When she saw Himawari though..." Sarada shifted on her feet. Her voice wavered as she wasn't sure how to word her next phrase. Naruto waited until she finally looked up with determined eyes. "When she saw Himawari, she gave the most disgusted look. Her face contorted and it looked like she wasn't too happy. I don't know what really happened, but I didn't like her at all."

Himawari fidgeted with her fingers. She was quiet and kept her gaze downward. Naruto didn't like her like this. This was how she was when Hinata had passed and he kept his distance from his children. Taking her tiny hands into his, he squeezed them. Himawari looked up. Her eyes were red, slightly puffy, from crying. Her eyes quickly darted to the side when they met his. Smiling warmly, he asked, "Hey, what's wrong? You know you can tell me anything."

"It's nothing," she whispered, "I'll tell you when you go pick up big brother. Just...don't be mad at him okay? It wasn't his fault. It was mine."

He wasn't sure what she meant by that, but he promised her he wouldn't get angry at Boruto. Standing up, he asked if Sarada could wait with Himawari while he went to the principle's office. She agreed and he thanked her, then continued on his way.

At first, he was a little lost, but thanks to a few students, he found his way to the office. Standing in front of the mahogany, Naruto took a deep breath. He calmed his thumping heart and knocked as confidently as he could. The same, familiar voice of the lady from the phone line drifted pass the thick door, welcoming him in. He opened it. The office wasn't large. Dark brown bookcases lined one side of the room. The other side of the wall was plastered with framed awards and trophies. Right in the middle was a large, dark brown desk. Sitting behind it in a grand, black leather chair, was a woman with long blond hair. Her elbows propped on the surface of the table with her hands folded and her chin resting on top. When he entered, her intense gaze landed on his. Naruto gulped. Smiling, he bowed and walked in. Boruto was sitting opposite of her in a chair. His left cheek was red from where he had been hit. His bottom lip was slightly bruised too. Naruto frowned at the sight of his injured son. He wanted to check up on him, but instead sat down in the chair beside him. He flicked his attention over the principle. "What happened?" he asked.

"I've tried asking Uzumaki, your son, about that too, but he's remained silent on this whole matter. All I know from witnesses is that he started the brawl, apparently for no reason. The other student who was involved has been picked up by his parents, who aren't very happy with this either. I must apologize, but since your son was the one who started it, he's going to be suspended from school for two weeks," Tsunade said. "I know he isn't a bad student. Mischievous and likes to play too many pranks and lazy, but he's practically on top of the school, ranking in the top five. But seeing as the other student's parents weren't too happy if we weren't going to do anything about it, this is the minimum punishment. I also want to know why he reacted that way." Tsunade's eyes landed on Boruto, but his son merely _'hmphed'_ and turned his chin upward as he turned his head to the side. She sighed at his gesture. "In any case, please take care Mr. Uzumaki."

"Ah, yes. Thank you..." Naruto said.

"I'm not trying to give your son special treatment. I just know there's more to the story than what I was told."

"Yes, I know. Again, thank you."

Naruto stood and bowed to her. Boruto stood after him and together they left the office. He glanced down at his moody son and sighed. He would have to wait till they got home if he wanted to get some answers. He reached over, ruffling his son's hair. "Let's go home. Himawari and Sarada are waiting for us at the school entrance."

Boruto didn't answer. But even so, the two of them made their way to the front of the school to pick up the two girls. With the three children in tow, Naruto walked them back to the apartment.

Back inside the apartment room, Naruto fixed four cup of hot green tea. He looked over his shoulder to check up on them. All three were quietly sitting on the couch in the living room. There was a dreary mood hanging over all of them. Wondering how he could cheer them up, he quickly set the cups on a tray and brought it over to the coffee table. Setting it down, he sat down on the other side of the table and waited. When no one did anything, he heaved another loud sigh. "Alright, if no one wants to say anything, I'll start." He looked over to his daughter. She shrunk from his gaze. "Himawari..." his voice softened. "Why did you say this was your fault?"

Boruto jerked from his question. Angrily, he whipped his head in Himawari's direction. "Why are you blaming yourself?!" he asked. "This wasn't your fault. If anyone is to blame, it's Gusari-senpai's fault! Him and his family!"

"Settle down," Naruto said, hoping to calm Boruto. "Please explain this to me."

Boruto scowled. Crossing his arms across his chest, he turned to Naruto and said, "Gusari-senpai was—"

"Wait!" Himawari interrupted. "Let me start first." She fidgeted with her hands again, but then she took a breath and continued. "A few days ago, my friend, Chii-chan, was talking about how her family. I happen to talk about you, dad, and...Uncle Sasuke. Chii-chan said it was weird that Dad liked another man, but I told her it was normal. I even told her about Grandpa Iruka and Grandpa Kakashi. Chii-chan said it was interesting and asked what it was like. I told her a lot of things about how when we used to live with grandpa. I even said that I wouldn't mind if Uncle Sasuke came to live with us. But then the next day, Chii-chan started ignoring me. I was sad and tried to ask her why. She told me that when she told her parents about Dad and Uncle Sasuke, her mom got angry. Her mom told her not to hang out with me anymore because my family wasn't _normal_. Chii-chan's older brother goes to big brother's school, so...I guess he heard too..."

"He does," Boruto continued from Himawari. "His name is Gusari Doi. He's in the soccer club and likes to boast a lot since he's the captain. Anyways, he came over to me and started talking about how dad was a pervert for liking other men. I got mad, but what really made me pissed off was when Gusari-senpai started talking about mom. He said mom married a pervert and that she was an idiot for not knowing that." Boruto cluck his tongue, growling as he clenched his fists tighter. "He said his mom told him that my mom was probably an idiot slut and that Grandpa Iruka and Grandpa Kakashi were disgusting. It was so...so—!" Boruto yelled and smacked the throw pillow on the sofa.

Naruto took in all the information that was thrown at him slowly. He digested it, trying to figure out how he was going to smooth it over. But nothing came into mind. Even when he was younger, there wasn't much he could do when the people around him refused to try and understand. Slowly, he stood and walked over to the children. He knelt down in front of them, grabbing their attention. "I'm sorry," he said because he didn't know what else to say. "This is—"

"It's not your fault or my dad's fault!" Sarada shouted.

Her outburst surprised Naruto. Taken aback by it, his upper torso lurched slightly backward. "Eh?"

"It's not yours or my dad's fault," Sarada repeated. "You and my dad are human beings too! Why can't you guys be happy too? And Mr. Iruka and Mr. Kakashi are nice people! They don't know what they are saying. They're the people at fault!"

"That's right!" Himawari agreed.

He blinked, staring at each child sitting before him. They were so young and yet society was already forcing their views onto them. Naruto leaned forward, bringing each child into his arm, and hugged them tightly. He wasn't sure how to protect them from all this, from the prejudice of the world that instills what is normal and what is not. He hoped this wouldn't make them grow up too fast. Releasing them, he said, "I know how cruel society can be. I lived through the brunt of bullies as a child when they knew about Iruka and Kakashi. I hoped you children wouldn't have to suffer the same fate and yet here we are, and again the cycle begins. If I was a responsible parent, I should have chosen an easier route. But I didn't...but I also want the three of you to know despite all of this, it is still a beautiful world. There are a few people who won't tolerate or won't understand, but that's okay too. It just means we have to be more open minded and teach those who have yet to know that people like us aren't monsters. Even if they bully you or say cruel things, be strong, be brave. No matter what they say to you, don't react with fists because that doesn't solve anything. Use your words, tell them about how you live and keep moving forward. There will those who won't ever accept you, but that doesn't mean nobody ever will. And those who do accept you as you are, who don't abandon you, those are the ones who are true friends. Remember that well."

The three children nodded silently. Smiling broadly, he ushered them to go finish their homework and told Boruto that even though he was suspended, he still needed to study. With the three kids in the room, he was left alone in the living room. Groaning as he stood, he took one look around. Books he hadn't seen before were stored neatly under the television table. Pots of home grown vegetables were set outside the balcony. A throw blanket hung, folded, over the back of the couch. The kitchen was filled with new pots and pans, new knives, and scattered, but organized herbs. Another apron also hung beside the one that Hinata use to wear. His place had changed quite a bit since he moved here. Sasuke's presence was permanently shown even in the smallest detail. Sitting down on the couch, Naruto breathed out slowly. He rubbed his hands over his face as he thought about what the future would hold for them. The apartment was too small for them. They needed a bigger place, but he wasn't even sure where Sasuke was in their relationship—if his raven hair lover was ready to move in together officially.

And now there was this problem they had to deal with. He didn't know how to explain to Sasuke or how he would react. He could only hope what happened to their children wasn't going to be a setback for the other man. Rolling his shoulders, he flexed his hand which started to feel numb. He leaned back, resting his head on the top of the sofa. He debated if he should head back in to work, but ultimately decided to stay home. He didn't want to leave the children alone this time around. Closing his eyes, he let himself rest and await the time when he had to tell Sasuke what happened.

* * *

Naruto was chopping some vegetables when he heard the door click open. Heart palpitating, he set the knife down. Taking even breaths, he hurried over to Sasuke and welcomed him home. Sasuke stilled, surprised to see him. He arched a brow at Naruto when he looked over his shoulder to check the children. They were still in their room. After making sure they weren't there, Naruto waved for Sasuke to come with him. Silently, the two trod to the room. Naruto quietly closed the door behind him, then walked over to the bed to sit down. He wanted to wait for Sasuke to set his bag down and change before he told him anything. Sasuke was hesitant initially, but eventually did put everything away and changed into more comfortable attire. Sitting down beside him, Sasuke raised his brow again.

Naruto smiled wryly. "So...Boruto got suspended for two weeks today."

Sasuke blinked. "What happened?"

"Some upperclassman found out about you and me. His little sister was friends with Himawari and Himawari told her about us. Turns out her friend ended up telling her family and they weren't too happy that she friends with Himawari. Her older brother started to pick a fight with Boruto. He snapped when the upperclassman started talking about Hinata." Naruto gave another heavy sigh. He dropped his forehead to his hands. "I don't know. I feel so horrible Himawari lost a friend because...well...because of me. I know I said at the beginning that I trust Boruto and Himawari to be able to handle themselves, but shit, when I'm really faced with it, it's hard to handle. I wonder if this is how my parents felt when I was bullied at school."

Feeling Saske's arm around his shoulder, he leaned into his lover. He buried his face into the crook of his neck. He loved it when Sasuke knew what to do. Even without words, just his touch could calm his heart. Naruto huffed, wrapping his arms around Sasuke's waist. Little by little, they moved, adjusting their body so their lips dragged against skin. Mouth slotted perfectly in synch, moving slowly in a tender, sweet kiss. With childlike innocent intimacy, they touched, skimmed, and explored each other's bodies. Sasuke's hands found their way to the nape of his neck and latched on. In a single moment, his lips parted. Hot breath moist against his lips as Sasuke tilted his head and bought him in for another kiss, more sensual and wanton. A flick of tongue, desperate and needy. Naruto held tightly onto Sasuke as his lover dominated over him. The pit of his stomach fluttered and grew hot. He flushed at how wonderful Sasuke's tongue worked to quiet his rambling mind. He moaned into their lewd kiss—a mess of saliva and twisting tongues. When Sasuke pulled from the kiss, he followed by instinct. His lips latched to Sasuke's jaw, wanting more, needing more. Sasuke's fingers slipped under his shirt, gliding over his sides and stopped at the small of his back. They rested there as their lips found each other once more. Naruto groaned, breaking their tangled lips. He took a gulp of air and asked, "What am I suppose to do?"

Sasuke caressed his mid-back. Smiling softly, he answered, "I'm sure you already told them what they needed to hear because that's just how you are. After that, there's not much to do but to watch over them. They're our children...they know what to do."

Naruto liked the sound of that. _Our children_. They really were theirs. Smiling, he nodded. "Okay. Now...help me with dinner."

"And here I thought I was going to get to rest."

"If you leave dinner to me, don't expect it to be amazing."

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke removed his hands and stood. Taking Naruto's hand into his, Sasuke dragged him back into the kitchen. Working together, they prepared and finished making dinner just as the three children came out of the room.

"Dad? You're home already? I didn't hear you," Sarada said as she and the other two appeared around the corner.

"Yes," Sasuke said.

Naruto watched the children curiously as they sat down and looked at each other. They seem to silently communicate with one another before deciding on something. Sarada turned to Sasuke, straightening her back while she cleared her throat.

"Did you hear about what happened to Boruto?" she asked.

Sasuke arched a brow. "Yes, I did."

Sarada continued on courageously. "And?"

"And?"

His question faltered her. Sarada slouched and asked, "Wha—what do you think?"

"Hmmm..." Sasuke glanced over to Boruto. A moment passed in silence. Finally, he said, "Whatever Naruto said, I'm sure I agree with it. From now on, don't be so rash. Think before you act. And know this...words hurt more than fists." Sasuke smirked. "I'm sure you can think of plenty of things to say back, Boruto."

Boruto's jaw slackened, but only momentarily before he snapped it close and smirked too. Seeing this, Naruto nudged Sasuke. "Hey, don't teach him weird things."

"I'm not teaching him weird things," Sasuke said innocently. "Just proper etiquette on how to handle bullies."

The kids snickered into their hands. Shaking his head at the ridiculousness, Naruto waved for everyone to get back to dinner. Conversation steered away from the issue that had happened to school to lighter topics. Naruto knew that the issue at hand wasn't over, but for now, things were handled as well as they could be. If the bullying continued, he would have to talk to the principle of the school and hopefully work something out. Toward the end of dinner, when everything had settled down and the children in bed, Naruto found himself sitting in the living room with a can of beer in his hand. He leaned back in the couch, taking a sip of the alcohol. Sasuke came out of the bathroom, drying his hair. His lover sat down beside him and took the can from him to take a drink as well. Naruto smiled at how easily Sasuke did such things nowadays.

"I know we kinda decided to let things be and see how things go from here, but are you worried?" Naruto asked when Sasuke handed the beer back to him. He took it and drank a full gulp.

"Mmm, a little," Sasuke answered.

"A little?"

"Yeah."

He didn't expand causing Naruto to huff in exasperation. He turned, handing the can back to Sasuke. He took it from him and guzzled down the rest of the foamy liquid. Licking his lower lip to swipe away the droplets of beer, Sasuke raised a brow at him. Naruto was briefly distracted by the flick of tongue, but quickly took his attention away. "Can you expand more? I just...I don't want this to stress you out."

"It's not necessarily stressing me out," Sasuke said slowly.

"But you're still worried."

"Seems like you're more worried than I am."

Running his fingers through his hair, Naruto shrugged. He probably was, maybe? Glancing back to his lover, he scooted closer to him. Sasuke opened his arms without needing to hear Naruto asking for permission. Grateful for his silent gesture, Naruto fell into his embrace. Sighing contently, he rested his forehead on Sasuke's shoulder. "I'm not _that_ worried. I'm more worried about you."

"I'll be fine."

"What if rumors start..."

"It's all true though."

"And you're fine with that?"

Sasuke tensed under his question. Naruto felt the shoulder go rigid. Looking up from under his eyelashes, he worriedly wondered if he shouldn't have asked. Instead, Sasuke ran his fingers through Naruto's hair. "I won't say that I'm fine with it...but for now, I think I can handle it."

"Okay..." His eyes slid shut as Sasuke tipped his head and kissed the top of his pate. Naruto chuckled. Tilting his head back, he puckered his lips for a kiss, but Sasuke poked his forehead instead. "Nn?" Blinking in confusion, he pouted. He wanted a kiss. Squeezing his eyes shut, he raised his chin. "Mmmm! Kiss!"

Sasuke huffed a laugh at his antic. Complying to his wish, Sasuke lowered his head and kissed him chastely on his lips. Naruto smiled into it. Even if it was quick, it made him melt in bliss. He glowed in utter joy.

"You look like an idiot," Sasuke muttered.

"Is that what you call your lover?" Naruto asked in mock shock.

"Yes. An idiot...a cute idiot."

Naruto lightly smacked his other shoulder. "What was it you said yesterday? An old man calling another old man cute. No old man wants to hear that."

Sasuke laughed quietly under his breath again. Rolling his eyes, he kissed him again. "Fine. You're not cute."

Humming, Naruto kept their lips inches apart. "If I'm not cute, then what am I"

"Just an idiot."

Pouting again, Naruto pushed away from his lover. He turned his back on him, crossing his arms. He could hear Sasuke chuckling from behind. Hands wrapped around his shoulder, tugging him backward. He let himself fall; his back resting perfectly against Sasuke's chest. Butterfly kisses trailed down his neck. His tilted his head, letting Sasuke's lips glide over his skin. He nibbled and licked, making Naruto's legs twitch in anticipation. Gasping, he whimpered for more. Sasuke obeyed, giving him more love bite, marking him as his.

"You're handsome," Sasuke whispered against his marked skin, "gorgeous, magnificently wonderful..." He turned Naruto around, cupping his cheeks. "When I first saw you, I thought you were beautiful...even in your drunken stupor."

Naruto blushed from the compliments. "Uh, glad to know that even when I was drunk, you thought I was good looking."

"And then..." Sasuke smiled softly—it was one of those rare smiles again. "When I saw you the next morning, I thought you had the most prettiest eyes. So blue, so majestic. If I didn't control myself, I would have lost myself in a trance looking into them."

"Oh."

Smiling mischievously, Sasuke asked, "Shall we head to bed now?"

"Eh? Oh...ah….yeah."

Smirking knowingly, Sasuke got up and took him by the hand. Still in a stupor, Naruto let himself be led away by his charming, addictive lover.

* * *

 **A/N:** Another update! So yeah, the drama isn't over yet. XD I'm still writing chapter 14...and well, I know what I want to happen, but I'm having trouble putting them into words on the page, so it may take me a while. Already, I've rewritten the chapter twice. :/

But anyways, thanks for reading! :D


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** So, just a little heads up, I'm not familiar with Boruto as I don't read or watch it. :/ So, I'm not going to be very knowledgeable about the children or their personality other than the few scenes I have watched on YouTube. I do try my best to read up on them and figure out how to portray them, but yeah, I don't know much about the next generation. My apologies if I don't get their personalities correct.

* * *

 **Chapter Fourteen**

He never really noticed how silent Sasuke could be, almost like a ninja. His footsteps were soft as he masterfully moved around the bedroom as to not wake him up, However, it was in vain since Naruto was already up the moment Sasuke's warmth left his side. He watched his lover from beneath half slitted hoods, just admiring him and his amazing stealth skill. His heart swelled with love. He rolled, causing the blankets to rustle. As he turned, he noticed the way Sasuke slowed his movements. _So thoughtful_. Smiling, he sat up and greeted him. "Morning."

"Good morning," Sasuke greeted back. "I hope I didn't make too much noise."

"Nah, I was already up. It's earlier than usual."

"I have some reports I have to finish today, so I wanted an early start." Sasuke resumed dressing even in the darkness. "Don't forget about Himawari's Parent Day."

"Shit, is that today?"

"Yes. Think you will be able to take some time off?"

"I think so. Teuchi is usually flexible. Besides, I'll head right back to work afterward."

"Mmm..."

Leaning forward, Naruto waited for a kiss, but it never came. Blinking open his eyes, he tilted his head. Sasuke stared at him. He raised a hand and instead of a kiss, a poked met the middle of his forehead. Naruto frowned as Sasuke's finger retreated.

With a small smile, Sasuke said, "If I kissed you now, I'll be late."

Finished with dressing, Sasuke waved goodbye and left with a reminder to attend Parent Day for Himawari. He was left all alone. Naruto heaved a long sigh. Soon, it would just be the two of them. He could last. Flopping onto the bed, he fell back asleep.

He jerked awake from a small nudge. Blearily, he blinked. Boruto stood beside his bed with his alarm clock held out. It was already eleven which meant he had about half an hour to get ready if he wanted to make it in time for Himawari's Parent Day. Scrambling out of bed he made quick preparations of cleaning and readying himself. Dressed casually in a black khaki pants with a white v-neck shit and a black cardigan with orange lining, he presented himself to Boruto. His son gave hi a once over look, then nodded his approval. Cleaned and changed, he called Teuchi o let him know he would be late. As usual, Teuchi was kind enough to let him take time off. After hanging up with his boss, Naruto decided he really needed to get a nice gift for Teuchi for being so flexible with his work hours. As he placed the phone into his back pocket, he double checked the digital camera was fully charged while he ate breakfast. When everything was accounted for, he was out the door.

He arrived at the school and stood just a little beyond the school gates. He curiously looked around, finding a few mothers gathering and conversing before heading inside. It seemed he was the only father. A creeping nervous crawled on his skin as he slowly made his way toward the school entrance. Taking a deep breath to calm himself down, he stepped back the gates and straightened his back. Confidently, or with as much courage he could boost, he walked toward Himawari's classroom. He found it in less than a few minutes; it was a new record for himself considering he hadn't really been around to see her school when he first enrolled her. He scooted inside, smiling to a few mothers who looked his way, then remained close to the door. Glancing around the room, he found Himawari sitting in the middle. She turned her head just in time to lock eye contact with him. A huge smile made its way to her face as she waved at him. Her smile brought him so much joy. Naruto waved back at her, then pointed to the front, indicating she should pay attention. He heard a small giggle beside him. Flicking his gaze toward the sound, he blushed as a mother leaned in toward him.

"You have a beautiful daughter," she said.

"Thank you," he replied, feeling proud.

Taking out his camera, he began clicking pictures and recording her when it was her turn to read or answer questions. He beamed whenever she got the right answer. Before he knew it, Parent Day was already over. He was a little sadden because it meant he wouldn't be able to watch over Himawari. But he was glad that the children at least got to see their parents off. Himawari rushed over to him immediately, asking if he paid attention and watched her. Naruto ruffled her head, praising her for her good work. She blushed and then took him by the hands, dragging him over to her circle of friends. He was introduced to each of them who looked up at him with huge, curious eyes. He sheepishly smiled at them and greeted the little girls and boys. Right as Himawari finished introducing them, all of them burst into questions, a few about his job and others asking about the scars on his face. He tried to answer as best as he could, but was soon overwhelmed by their enthusiasm. He needed to get away. Seeing that the other mothers were beginning to leave, he excused himself. Himawari followed, chatting away. He listened as much as he could, but she started talking about topics he had no idea what it was about. He got to the classroom door, then turned and knelt down. He had to interrupt her. He moment he did, he felt guiltily when her expression was crest fallen. If he could, he would stay with her at school all day just to see her smile. Instead, he pulled her into a tight hug. "Be good. Listen to your teacher and be nice to your friends. You were great today! I'm so proud of you," he said.

Himawari giggled. "Thank you, dad. I'll see you later at home then."

"Yup." Grinning, he stood and ruffled her head once more, then shooed her off. He watched with a goofy grin as she skipped back to her circle of friends. It relieved him to know that despite the event that happened with Himawari's other friend, she still had those that stayed beside her. And it didn't seem like she was being bullied. Nodding his head, he turned to leave. He said a few goodbyes to some moms and continued on his way. He was down the hallway when a voice called out to him.

"Mr. Uzumaki!" a feminine voice called.

He stopped, turning around to see who it was. A woman with blond hair tied into a pony tail hurried over to him. She wore an apron with a name tag stuck on. He couldn't quite reach her name from where he was standing, but her face did look familiar. When she reached him, she broke out in a laugh.

"Judging by her reaction, I guess you've forgotten who I am," she said amusingly. "I'm Yamanaka Ino. My husband is Yamanaka Sai. Our son, Inojin, attends the same junior middle school as your son. We met at the hot pot party. I'm friends with Rock Lee."

Naruto blinked. "Ah! I remember! Oh, I didn't know you were a teacher here!"

"I'm more of an assistant. I am helping out in Himawari-chan's class though."

"Really? Thank you for taking such good care of her."

"Oh, not at all! She's a wonderful girl. Ahh, I sometimes wish I had a daughter too!" Ino pressed a hand to her cheek.

Chuckling, Naruto said, "It's hard for me as a father since I sometimes don't know what she's talking about."

Ino laughed. "It'll probably get harder as she grows up."

"I don't want to even think about that." He sighed heavily.

Smiling, Ino looked around, then leaned in a bit. "I hope I'm not being nosy, but I heard from my son that your son was suspended?"

Naruto flushed. He scratched his cheek sheepishly. "Ah, yeah. He got into a fight...not entirely his fault. Ah! But he's really a good boy! He doesn't normally get into fights like that."

Ino waved her hand. "Oh, I'm not worried about that at all. Inojin can be a little tough to get along with, so if your son is getting along with him, he must be good. Besides, your son is in the top five of the school. I'd like Inojin to do just as well."

"I believe my son got his intelligence from his mother," Naruto joked.

They were both chuckling when another woman appeared around the corner. Her eyes fell on Naruto and stayed as she made her way over and stood beside him. "You're Mr Uzumaki, correct?"

Naruto faltered slightly. He could see her cold eyes staring straight at him in condescension. "Um, yes. And you are?"

"Gusari Rei. My daughter is Chiharu and my son is Doi...the boy who your son turned black and blue." The woman sniffed, tilting her chin upward.

Naruto blinked. This was the last woman he ever wanted to meet, considering she was the reason why Himawari lost a friend and made her sad. Just the way she looked at him as if he was some disgusting trash got on his nerve. But he held his tongue and gave her a tight smile. "Well, boys will be boys won't they? Always rough housing and all. I remember those days."

"I'm _sure_ you do since you probably still do it now. I was thinking since your the parent, you should have at least come and _apologize_ to my family after what your son did to my sweet little boy, but I never got one."

"Boruto has quite the bruised lip too, thanks to your _sweet, little boy_. Call it scars of war or whatever. They can show it off to their friends."

" _What?_ That's all you have to say? No wonder your children are so misbehaved."

"Himawari and Boruto are both wonderful children. Why, my son is even ranked in the top five of the school. What about yours?"

His words seem to hit her as she scowled in his direction. Naruto beamed a smile at her. He didn't really care what rank Boruto got in school as long as he was passing and not doing anything bad. But his son was smart and he at lease knew how to put that brain to use, unlike he did back in his school days. Mrs. Gusari scowl turned dark before she broke into a menacing smile. It sent a shudder down his spine. No human woman should be able to smile that cruelly. He was suddenly struck with a sense of fear. She was up to something and it could not only hurt him, but his whole family, including Sasuke. Mrs. Gusari turned to Ino who had been standing there watching their quarrel.

"Mrs. Yamanaka, I hope you know how to choose who to befriend. And you should keep an eye on his daughter. Who knows how she behaves having Mr. Uzumaki as a parent," she said sweetly.

"What do you mean?" Ino asked with a tilt of her head in confusion.

"I mean, Mr. Uzumaki is in a relationship with another man. It's very...unnatural. Who knows what that will teach his children."

Frowning, Naruto said, "My personal relationship has nothing to do with how I raise my kids!"

"I wasn't speaking to you, Mr. Uzumaki. Isn't that right, Mrs. Yamanaki? I am the head of the PTA. I do believe you should be aware of who you favor in the class." Mrs. Gusari flicked her hair with her hand. She smiled confidently at Ino. Her red lips spread wide. She looked like a snake.

Ino stared for a moment. It took a moment, but it seemed she got her bearings back. She smile with a small bow. "Mrs. Gusari, we don't play favorites in this school. Above all, our school emphasizes on change and teaching acceptance in all accounts for the better future of our children."

"Hmph." Mrs. Gusari sneered. With another flick of her hair, she whirled on her heels and retreated. Her footsteps echoing deep down the empty hallway.

Naruto stared after her even after she was gone. He took a breath, then turned to Ino. He had no idea what to say. He was outed against his own will, bullied, and treated as if he was nothing. He hadn't gone through anything like that since he was child. It was no wonder her son said despicable things. Her personality was just as bad, maybe even worst. He bit his lower lip, hoping this didn't bring any trouble to his own children. After all, Himawari already lost a friend because of this. If she started to get bullied too...he didn't know what he would do.

"Mr. Uzumaki?" Ino's voice broke him from his thoughts.

"Oh! Um...just call me Naruto. Mr. Uzumaki makes me feel so old," he said jokingly to lighten the mood.

"Then you can also call me Ino. Anyways, I just wanted to let you know...I don't judge people by the relationships they have or what their social status is. Whoever you love or where in life you are, if you are a good person, then you're a good person. My son, Inojin, tells me a lot about your son. They're good friends and seeing as I have met your son and how polite he is, I can tell he was raised by a good father. Please don't worry. I'll watch over Himawari."

He was touched. Although they barely knew each other, Ino was already willing to help him out. Smiling, he thanked her. There was no doubt he could trust her words. Saying goodbye, he finally left the school grounds. Despite Mrs. Gusari's rude introduction and behavior, he left with a smile on his face and lighter steps knowing Himawari was in good hands.

* * *

When he returned home after work, he found Gaara smoking nearby his door. He walked over to greet his red hair neighbor. Gaara raised a hand in return. He nearly made it over to him when a head popped out behind his door. He stumbled slightly in his steps when the man who came out wickedly grinned at Gaara and made to kiss him, but Gaara waved him off. The man seem to pout for a second then noticed him. Blushing, the man hurried back inside, closing the door with a thunk. Naruto stared at Gaara in awe as he reached him."Who was that?" he asked teasingly.

"Nobody," Gaara grunted.

"Boyfriend?" Naruto wiggled his brows.

His neighbor scoffed. "I don't do boyfriends, Naruto. He's just a fuck buddy that I met at a bar some few months ago. Every now and then, when we have the urge to have sex, we meet up. Like tonight."

"O-oh." Flushing, he looked away. Gaara was way more experienced in these things than he was, even in terms of having sex buddies. "Um, s-sorry to bother you then."

"It's alright. We already fucked twice, once over my kitchen counter when we were suppose to have dinner and another on the couch. I think he just finished making dinner."

"Gaara!" Naruto blushed. Gaara smirked. He disliked when the other man teased him with information about his sex life that he didn't need to know about. "A-anyways! You should go back and have dinner then. It's pretty late though."

"Yeah. What about you?"

"Hm?"

"You don't look too happy."

Sometimes Gaara surprised him. His red hair neighbor almost seemed like a psychic at times when he could read his mood. Naruto shifted on his feet. What happened at Himawari's school still bothered him even if he did know Ino was watching over her. Still, he thought maybe he should do better than as a dad. "Oh, you know...met the lady of the boy who got into a fight with Boruto."

"Oh?" Gaara raised curious eyes at him.

"Yeah. She was..." He trailed, unsure what to call her.

"A bitch?"

Naruto laughed. Such a simple insult, but it fit perfectly. Nodding his head, he said, "Yes, a bitch. She was rude and condescending, saying that my relationship with Sasuke is immoral and would teach my kids the wrong things. What right does she have to say that? Ugh, to think that there are still people nowadays that think that way."

"Mmm, there's still plenty."

"Thank goodness she doesn't know I was raised by two dad or she was say it's because of that too."

"At least you have a lot of people on your side."

"I do?"

"Yeah..."

"...Well, there's you, my parents, the kids, and...oh, Mrs. Yamanaka! Ino, who we met at the hot pot party. Hmm, I wonder if that means her husband is fine with it too..." Naruto tapped his chin in wonder.

Gaara blinked, then sighed. "There's more."

"There is?" Bemused, Naruto frowned at him.

"Yeah. My siblings."

"You have siblings? But wait, I've never met them, so how can I consider that."

"...You met one of them. Twice. Nara Temari. Her husband is Nara Shikamaru. Their son is Shikadai. Boruto and him hangs out a lot."

"..." Naruto stared blankly. "What?"

"You probably weren't paying attention during the hot pot party...of course you weren't, seeing as you were too busy paying attention to Uchiha."

"Wait...what?! Your sister is Nara Temari…then that means Shikamaru is your brother-in-law and Shikadai-kun is your nephew!"

"Yes. That's what I was just saying. I'm surprised you never noticed considering Boruto hangs out at my place a lot."

"Eh? What? Why?"

"Sometimes Temari and Shikamaru drop Shikadai off for me to babysit. I have a lot of games, so the two of them tend to be over playing games."

"I...had no idea...damn, what kind of father am I?"

"A clueless one, apparently. Well, now you know."

"Wait a minute, then that means you knew Rock Lee before then too?"

"Of course. I've known him since high school. We had a fling or two back in college, but I hear he's going steady with some girl. We still hang out though. And yes, that means he's perfectly fine with gay people. Actually, everyone in this apartment complex don't really care. They have their own life to deal with. They don't have time to judge yours. They also know I'm gay. I may not say it, but considering I tend to bring guys over, it's not a secret either."

"...Why…why the hell didn't you tell me this earlier?" Naruto gawked with an open jaw.

Gaara smiled mischievously. "I like to see you squirm."

"You...ahhh, you asshole!" Naruto covered his red face. All this time, he was worried what his neighbors would think. He had grown really close to them and was afraid that if his relationship with Sasuke got out, they would stop talking to him. As he flustered over the new knowledge, he could hear Gaara chuckling. Removing his hands, he glared at the other male. "I hope you're impotent for the rest of tonight! You don't deserve to enjoy sex!"

"How rude," Gaara drawled.

Childishly, he stuck out his tongue as he made his way to the stairs. Gaara shook his head, then returned to his apartment. Naruto hurried up the stairs and back into his apartment. The lights were turned off, so he had to quietly make his way through the dark apartment. He stopped briefly by the children's room, listening in on them. Soft breathing resonated through the door. They slept soundly. He opened the door as quietly as he could. With his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he was able to see their sleeping forms. Relieved to see them asleep, he closed the door and went to his room. A soft light leaked from the crack in the doorway. Sasuke was still up. He opened the door, his eyes falling onto the bed where Sasuke sat propped against the wall with a book in his hand. The small creaking noise from the door startled Sasuke. He glanced up and greeted him with a rare smile. Naruto's heart fluttered. It didn't matter how old he was. Seeing that smile did wonders to his body. He stepped inside hurriedly. He closed the door behind him and walked over to sit down beside Sasuke. The bed dipped under his weight. Sasuke set the book aside, welcoming him home in a whisper. Naruto smiled.

"I'll go clean up in a bit. Just wanted to check in on you. How come you aren't asleep yet?" Naruto asked.

"Wanted to wait up for you," Sasuke replied.

"You have to get up earlier again tomorrow too, don't you?"

"Yeah, but it's fine. So, Himawari told me all about today. She was very happy."

"Mm hmm. She was wonderful in class. Turns out Yamanaka Ino is a teach assistant for her class too."

"That's nice."

"Yeah..."

"Something else came up?"

"I met Mrs. Gusari."

"Who?"

"The mother of the evil child who dare to spew hateful words at my intelligent, amazing son."

Sasuke raised a brow. "Okay?"

Naruto sighed. "She was not a nice person."

"I can tell. What did she say?"

"That me being with you was unnatural and the reason why Himawari and Boruto are misbehaved."

"What does our relationship have to do with that?"

"Exactly! I tried to tell her that, but she wouldn't listen to me. People like her...I don't think they'll ever come around."

"Mmm...hopefully you don't meet her again."

"I hope so too. But, she is the head of the PTA. I hope she doesn't try to do anything drastic."

"Let's hope not, especially since there's only a few days left before our trip."

"Mm hmm." Naruto leaned in for a kiss, pressing his mouth against soft, warm lips. Sasuke opened up for him, letting him take over the kiss in heated passion. He melted into the kiss. His hands found their way to the nape of Sasuke's neck, latching on and kissing deeper, diving his tongue to explore, sucking and licking till they were both out of breath.

"You should go clean up now," Sasuke said as he pulled away. "It's late."

He wanted to do more, but Sasuke was right. It was late and he felt sweaty anyway. Standing up, he went back to the bathroom to take a quick shower. After he was done, he hurried back into bed. Laying down, Sasuke immediately rolled over and pulled him into his arms. Naruto smiled at how easy it was for them to fall into position. Sasuke clicked the light off, then whispered a good night as he kissed his temple. Naruto hummed, letting his eyes fall close. The moment shared between them was enough to wipe away all the trouble he had today with Mrs. Gusari because this was what mattered to him. Nothing else, but their happiness.

The idea that the week would pass smoothly was too idealistic, but Naruto had hoped. He had hoped that Mrs. Gusari didn't stir up anymore trouble. But he was wrong and he scolded himself mentally for hoping. Of course the woman wouldn't let things go easily, not after he practically insulted that her son wasn't as smart as his or that Ino chose to side with him. So, here he was, sitting in a meeting room during his _work hours_ again—to which he still had to get something for Teuchi for allowing him to leave—with a few mothers sitting around a table. At the end sat the chairman of the elementary school. He was a little on the bigger side and his hair was balding. Even at his distance, he could see the bead of seat sliding down the older man's face. A few seats away to the side was Ino, sitting as she gave him a friendly smile. He tried his best to return it, but with Mrs. Gusari sitting across from him and glaring at him, he couldn't muster up the energy. He gave her a wobbly smile, then returned his gaze to the packet of paper in front of him on the table. When everyone was settled, Mrs. Gusari stood, clearing her throat to gather everyone's attention. She eyed him with a glare for a long while, then eventually turned her attention to the principle.

"As you all know, my son, Doi, was badly beaten by Mr. Uzumaki's son a few days ago. I am here to ask that you withdraw Mr. Uzumaki's daughter from this school," she stated firmly.

"What does your son have anything to do with this?" asked the chairman tiredly.

"I fear that his daughter may have the same...violent tendency." She hissed, flicking her gaze at him.

Naruto frowned. He had been too naive about her vendetta. She was going to try and bring down his family. Gritting his teeth, he glared. If he lashed out now, it would only make him look bad.

"My apologies Mrs. Gusari, but I've worked with Himawari-chan. She's a very gentle child. I don't see any _violent tendency_ as you say," Ino said. Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"You never know when it will come out. For example, Mr. Uzumaki's son is ranked in the top five of his school, but he violently hurt my son."

 _This damn woman!_ Naruto cursed. "He was merely defending himself," Naruto grumbled.

"Defending? From what? My son didn't do anything to him and yet your son threw the first punch. However! This isn't about what happened to my son, which I also inform you, I will also be taking _action_ for that as well seeing as the school hasn't done much about it."

"My son was suspended! What do you mean—!"

"Can we get to the point here?" The chairman interrupted, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Yes," Mrs. Gusari continued, "more than thinking about violent tendencies, I'm more concerned about her influence."

"What do you mean?" The chairman raised a brow.

"You see, Mr. Uzumaki is in an immoral relationship with another man. What he teaches his daughter...I don't want that affecting _my_ child. Just as these mothers here are also concerned about. We wouldn't want her encouraging strange behaviors."

"Mrs. Gusari," Himawari's homeroom teacher spoke up. When her head lifted upward to look at Mrs. Gusari, the glint of the light glared against the pair of round glasses she wore, hiding her eyes. "Himawari-chan doesn't really talk about her family life or about her father's relationship to another man other than that one time. But ever since then, she has kept very quiet about it and avoids the topic a lot. If we ever bring up topics about family, she only ever talks about her father, Mr. Uzumaki. There is nothing to worry about her influencing the other children."

"You don't know that!" Mrs. Gusari exclaimed. The other mothers who were part of the PTA nodded along in agreement. "This is meant as a way to prevent it from happening! Chairman, I ask that you do something about this. I and the other mothers of the PTA are very adamant that something be done and if nothing happens, we _will_ do something about it. The public will know!"

The chairman frowned. He glanced between her and Naruto. He could see the chairman starting to fret, afraid that the reputation of the school would be smeared. Naruto growled. How dare the chairman worried more about a damn reputation than the children. He had enough. He wasn't going to sit here and listen to the vile woman known as Mrs. Gusari disrespect his family.

"Chairman, if I may speak," Naruto said. All the eyes in the room fell on him. He swallowed, unsure of what to say, but he needed to do something. Clenching his hands, he stood. "I understand the concerns of many of the mothers here, including Mrs. Gusari. However, I know my daughter. She wouldn't push her ideals onto others if it made them uncomfortable. She is the sweetest girl...a child who lost her mother at a young age and for the longest time, never smiled as brightly as she does now...not until I found my own happiness. She lost so much, but being here...being here, she gained many things back. Her world is so much brighter now. I don't want her to lose her innocence knowing that there are adults—" Naruto flicked a glare at Mrs. Gusari. "out there that are trying to make her miserable."

"I am not!" Mrs. Gusari yelped.

"She already lost a friend. Gusari Chiharu. When Mrs. Gusari insisted that her daughter avoid Himawari, she lost a friend that day. My beautiful, caring, gentle, Himawari learned for the first time that not every adult can be understanding. She realized the world was unfair, not only to her, but her family as well. As parents, we want to protect our children from such things. As adults we want to teach our children that despite all that, there is still hope and a better future. If you cast my daughter out now, you will only make her realize how much crueler the world can be. What Mrs. Gusari here has a problem with isn't the violent tendency or the influence. She has a problem with me and that shouldn't interfere with what happens here at this school. I...I looked up this school long before I registered Himawari here. The one thing that caught my attention was the mission and goal of this school. To teach the young children about change, about being individuals, and above all...acceptance. It's very different from many of the other schools here. If Himawari is removed, doesn't that mean you are going against that goal? And to all the mothers here petitioning for this to happen, think about what it will teach your own children? Imagine what it would feel like for them if their friends and even the _adults_ that are suppose to help them turn against them. I ask that you review this over once more. Please don't let my personal life and relationship influence your decision and see for yourselves if you are making the right choice."

The room fell silent. A few of the mothers' gazes looked away, cast down in guilt or embarrassment. Mrs. Gusari still had the audacity to glare at him. She turned away, taking her sharp, cold eyes and settling them on the chairman instead. She could have burn holes through his head with such a stare.

"Chair—" Mrs. Gusari was interrupted as the chairman raised his hand to stop her.

"Mrs. Gusari, please stop. I...I have to agree with Mr. Uzumaki here. Expelling a student because of what he does in his private life is very wrong. We should never, as educators and adults, let such a thing cloud our decisions. Now, for the rest of the PTA, are you still going through with this petition?"

"Of course they—"

"Actually," a mother stood, stopping Mrs. Gusari, "we've decided not to. After listening to Mr. Uzumaki's explanation, the rest of us have decided there is no need for such drastic measures. Mrs. Gusari, even as head of the PTA, we still decide by majority and the majority of us have decided to refrain from petitioning. Please, if you could just let this pass and not cause more trouble."

Mrs. Gusari sputtered. Naruto was surprised by their decision. He didn't think his words would reach them. Looking around, his eyes landed in Ino who gave him a thumbs up. He couldn't help, but smile, tears falling freely down his cheeks. He tried to wipe them as quickly as he could, but a few of the mothers had seen it. Some apologized, while others were too embarrassed to even speak to him. Eventually, the meeting was adjourned with the outcome of Himawari being able to stay.

As he was leaving, he was stopped by Mrs. Gusari. Naruto huffed. He was tired of seeing her. He would have kept walking too, if it wasn't for the fact that she ran around him and blocked his way. Frowning, he crossed his arms across his chest. "What?" he growled.

"This isn't over. I will go talk to the chairman of your son's school too. I will—"

"You know what? I am tired of this bullshit. Just try and stir up trouble again and you will be hearing from my lawyer."

"Your lawyer?!" Mrs. Guasri gaped, taken aback by his claim.

"Yes, my _lawyer_. I will sue you for _harassment_. And believe me, I will make it very possible for you to lose. The truth here doesn't even matter because you are trying to drag my reputation through the mud. I have many and I mean _many_ people who can vouch for me. Apparently, even high standing figures of good schools can back me up as I'm sure you just made an enemy of the chairman here, threatening to ruin the reputation of this school. And Principle Tsunade doesn't seem very convinced that your son is as innocent as you make him to be. If you try to touch or mess with my family, I will return it ten folds on you. And I don't back out on my words." Naruto glared at the woman, daring her to try to speak back. When she could only stare at him with a slack jaw, he grinned victoriously. Stepping around her, he strutted confidently down the road. There was no way he was going to let her insult him or his children again.

* * *

 **A/N:** Whew, that took a while to write. I rewrote this chapter so many times! But I finally got something that I like.

With the drama over...Naruto and Sasuke will finally have some alone time in the next chapter. XD

Sooo...I didn't even catch how many typos I had in this chapter. Damn! Urgh, I corrected what I read. I hope I didn't miss more.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

He had just lugged out his and Sasuke's bag to the living room when the doorbell rang. He glanced at the clock and frowned. It was still a tad early, but maybe his parents had left earlier than usual and arrived early. He walked over to the door and opened it, expecting to see Iruka, but didn't see anyone. His eyes slowly trailed downward and he found himself staring into a pair of gold eyes. Naruto was slightly taken aback. Stepping backward, he noticed the pale complexion of the boy and his silvery blue hair. He looked to be about the same age as Boruto and Sarada.

"Good morning Mr. Uzumaki. My name is Mitsuki, a friend of Boruto and Sarada. I've come to drop off some assignments for him," greeted the young boy.

"Good morning...I see. Uhh, come in. Sit down. I'll let Boruto know you're here," Naruto said as he stepped aside for the boy.

Mitsuki walked in, his gaze looking around the apartment before he went to the living room and sat down. Naruto eyed the boy curiously as he walked to Boruto's room. He knocked and opened it. Sarada and Himawari were already up and chatting while Boruto snored. Raising a brow, he greeted the two girls then headed over to Boruto's bed and nudged his son awake. Boruto blinked blearily, sitting up as he rubbed his eyes. He whined about how early Naruto was waking him up, but when he mentioned that his friend, Mitsuki, was over, Boruto scrambled out of bed and hurried to clean up. Naruto watched in awe at how quick he moved. Slowly, he turned to Sarada. "Who is this Mitsuki? I've never heard about him?" he asked.

"Mitsuki recently transferred to our school. He was a little quiet and seem to observe the class for a bit before he finally started talking to Boruto. Looks like the two of them became really good friends. When he asked if he could drop off assignments for Boruto during the time he was suspended, Boruto told him he didn't need to since I lived next door, but Mitsuki insisted, so Boruto said okay." Sarada shrugged her shoulder. "He's nice...though I think he's a little too obsess with Boruto."

"Obsess?"

"Yeah...I catch him staring at Boruto a lot." Sarada shrugged again, then resumed chatting with Himawari.

Naruto hummed thoughtfully. Deciding to leave the girls to their girl talk, he walked back into the kitchen. He grabbed himself a cup of coffee and sat down. He was about to read the newspaper when he saw something interesting in front of him. In the living, Mitsuki and Boruto had sat down was talking about the assignment. But while his son was immersed in reading the paper, Mitsuki had his eyes on him. Naruto blinked. He even stopped drinking his coffee as he watched the scene. He was so caught up in it he didn't even realize that Sasuke had walked into the kitchen too.

"Good morning, Naruto..." Sasuke said. When he didn't reply, Sasuke called out to him again. "Naruto?"

"Huh?" Shaking his head, Naruto looked up. Sasuke raised a questioning brow at him. Sheepishly smiling, he said, "Sorry. Distracted. I set up a pot of hot water if you want tea."

"Thanks." Sasuke muttered.

As his lover went about to grabbing himself a cup of tea, Naruto returned his attention to the boys. Boruto was asking Mitsuki something and the silver hair boy answered nonchalantly. He pointed out something on the paper that made Boruto let out an 'ooooooh.' When Boruto turned his attention back to the paper, Mitsuki was staring again.

"What's got you so distracted?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto smiled. He nodded his head in the direction of the living room. Sasuke glanced over, finally realizing there was another boy in the house.

"Who's that?" Sasuke asked.

"A friend of Boruto and Sarada. He's a transfer student," he answered.

Sasuke raised his brows, apparently not understanding why he was grinning from ear to ear. He lifted a finger and pressed it to his lips. Sasuke looked back to the boys and silently watched. In their silence, they could finally hear the boys' conversation.

"Okay, I get it now. Thanks," Boruto said as he lifted his head. He was startled after seeing how close Mitsuki was next to him. "Wha-what?"

"Nothing," Mitsuki replied, "I just find that you have really pretty blue eyes like the sky. You're like the sun."

Naruto nearly choked on his coffee when he heard the compliments. Stifling a laugh, he dropped his head as his shoulders shook.

Boruto blushed. "Uhhhh...thanks?"

His son seem a little off put. Clearing his throat, he stood and offered to show his room to Mitsuki and mentioned that Sarada was there. Mitsuki nodded his head and the two got up to go to the room. As they passed by the kitchen, Boruto glared at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing." Naruto shook his head. He raised his coffee mug and said, "Have fun."

Boruto stared at him in suspicion, but eventually walked away, leading Mitsuki along. Naruto watched them go and heard the door open and close before breaking out in a chuckle. He set the mug down on the table, turning to Sasuke who was leaning against the counter and smiling into his cup.

"I think that boy has a crush on my son," Naruto said jovially.

"Mmm...don't you think it's time to teach your son about the birds and the bees?" Sasuke asked.

Flabbergasted, Naruto sputtered. "Too soon!"

"He's already twelve, almost thirteen. I was just thinking about bringing up the topic to Sarada."

Before they could continue the conversation, the doorbell rang again. Naruto stood and went over to open it. He was greeted to Iruka's smiling face. Grinning, he welcomed his parents inside. Sasuke walked over, helping them bring in their overnight bag. When Iruka and Kakashi were situated and the children came out to say hello, Naruto and Sasuke grabbed their bags to head out. He had talked to Iruka a bit about what had happened with Mrs. Gusari the night before, and his dad had agreed that it seemed to settle down the disagreement only temporarily. They had both hoped that she wouldn't be up to anything any time soon, but Naruto warned him and Kakashi to keep an eye out for her.

After saying goodbye to the children, the two of them headed down the stairs and placed their bags into his parents' truck. Luckily, Iruka had agreed to let them take the car. Sasuke squeezed into the driver seat while he sat in the passenger side. Buckling in, he gave one last wave to his children who had come out to watched them leave. And then, they were driving off.

They arrived at the hot spring inn two hours later. Grabbing his bag, he and Sasuke went inside to check in. They were taken to their room where they were told dinner would be served around seven. They also had a personal open air hot spring, but they could also go to the hot springs opened to everyone inside the inn which was bigger than the personal. After thanking the lady, they set their bag down and relaxed. Naruto took a look around the room. It was separated into two sections by a shoji. They were currently in the living area. A table and two chairs were placed near an open window, giving them a view of the bamboo forest. The meditative thunk of the shishi-odoshi disrupted the quietness. Towards the center of the tatami floor was another table, lower than the one by the window. Cushions were placed on either side. It was most likely the place where dinner would be served. Toward the other side was a couch and a television set. Naruto walked to the shoji, sliding it open. The room was medium size with two fluffy futon set right in the middle. A closet was to the right side of him. When he slid the closet door open, he found two yukata folded neatly. Smiling, he grabbed them and went back to Sasuke who was currently sitting in one of the chair by the window.

A soft breeze blew through the window, ringing the wind chime hanging above it. Sasuke's hair rustled with the wind. The light of the sun softly peeking through the leaves of the bamboo softened his features. He looked at ease, enjoying himself. Naruto stood, his breath taken away by the sight of his raven hair lover. Sasuke eventually noticed his staring. He tilted his head questioningly. Flushing, Naruto held out the yukata for him."Um, I-I thought we could change into these..."

The scraping of the chair being pushed back as Sasuke stood made his heart thump faster. Naruto mentally scolded himself, saying this was just like any other time they spent together alone. Except, back home they were truly never alone. The kids were always around or tended to interrupt them. Now that they were finally _alone_ he suddenly felt shy. Sasuke was standing in front of him now. He could tell. With his eyes casting down, he saw the feet of his lover a few inches away. The heat emanating from him also cause his heart to jump some more. His eyes fluttered close. The soft contact of their fingers touching when Sasuke grabbed the yukata had him gasp. It was electrifying. Sasuke pulled away with the yukata in hand, a huff of laughter falling from his lips. He didn't move though. Instead, Naruto heard the soft rustle of his clothes as he leaned in close. Sasuke's hot breath blew against his ear as he whispered seductively into it.

"I think I like it when you're this docile. Quiet...and malleable," Sasuke whispered huskily.

Naruto shuddered. His lover's voice did many things to him, but mostly aroused him. He could already feel the stirring of his nether region. Gulping, he turned his head till their lips met in a gentle kiss. They move against one another, breathtakingly slow. Their mouth opened and their tongues met in swirls and thrusts, gliding and rolling. Naruto moaned into the kiss. The yukata slipped from his fingers. He didn't care anymore. His arms wrapped around the other man's neck, pulling him in for a deeper kiss. He needed more; he wanted more. He didn't know how long they kissed, but when they pulled apart, Naruto was whimpering because he didn't want to stop. Sasuke huffed in amusement.

With their foreheads pressed, Sasuke suggested, "We should go take a walk first. The bamboo forest looked really nice and relaxing."

"Really, Sasuke? After kissing me like that and getting me all hot and hard, you're suggesting we go walking?" Naruto asked incredulously. He really just wanted to get down to the dirty stuff.

"Patience, Naruto. We can leave that for later tonight...I think, I much rather be able to make love to you all night, sensually...teasingly...rather than only a snippet and having to pause for dinner or taking a bath."

Naruto swallowed. His thoughts ran rampant. Having sex all night...that did sound good to him. Nodding eagerly, he released Sasuke and patted himself down. He was still hard, but as soon as they were both calm, they headed out, deciding that the yukata could wait till after they took a bath. Heading to the garden together, they walked side by side. Summer was ending, so the cooler wind was a welcome against their skin. They couldn't hold hands, but Naruto was satisfied with walking beside him, their shoulders brushing every now and then. They made their way to the bamboo forest, soaking in the tranquility. It almost felt like he was transported into the past. Grinning, he closed his eyes and let his mind wander. Soon, the afternoon fell away to dusk. Sasuke mentioned they should take a bath first before dinner, so they walked back to their room. They had both decided to use the private bath instead of the public one despite the fact that it was smaller. At least it was private and they could cuddle in the bath.

Naruto soaped and rinsed himself, then stepped into the hot bath. The steam of the natural hot spring water floated around in the air. He hissed a bit, but then let out a content sigh as he sunk his body into the water. He leaned against the side, pressing the towel cloth over his forehead. Humming, his eyes fluttered open again when he heard the splash of water beside. Sasuke had his hair tied back, giving Naruto full view of the man's neck. With his back turned toward him, Naruto swallowed at the sight of Sasuke's naked nape. He had never seen it before because the other man always had his hair down. But seeing it now, there was something oddly erotic about it. Sasuke turned again, so his back was resting against the edge.

He noticed Naruto staring and raised a brow. "What?" he asked.

"...You should tie your hair up more," Naruto said.

"Why?"

"It's fucking sexy as hell."

His compliment sent a flush to Sasuke's face. He turned away to hide it, but Naruto didn't want any of that. He pushed away from the edge of the bath and moved to straddle his lover's lap. Sasuke sucked in a breath when he settled in. Grinning mischievously, he let his arms rest over Sasuke's shoulders. "I like it," he said.

"If I wore it like this, you might have a constant boner," Sasuke said blandly.

"Probably."

"Not good for the kids."

"Probably not...fine then, only wear it like that when we're alone!"

"Is this some new kink I don't know about?"

"No! It's just...fuck Sasuke." He moaned. He didn't know why either, but he was seriously turned on. Burying his face into the crook of Sasuke's neck, he started kissing and sucking the skin. Sasuke shifted under him, bringing Naruto's butt closer to his rising cock. Smirking, he bit into the skin, drawing blood. Sasuke hissed, his hips thrusting slightly. Their erections rubbed underneath the water, causing both of them to groan. Naruto dropped his head against Sasuke's shoulder, breathing heavily. It was a bad idea to do anything in the bath even though he really wanted to.

"Naruto..." Sasuke moaned, "Let's get out. I think dinner is going to be served soon and I don't really want the servers to see us like this."

"Y-yeah." Naruto nodded.

He struggled to get up along with Sasuke. His cock throbbed, missing the contact of Sasuke's heat. He groaned, pressing into Sasuke once more and pulling him into an embrace. He thrust his hips, sighing from the friction. Sasuke clasped onto his arms, burying his face into the crook of his neck. Naruto felt his hot breaths, turning him on even more. His hips moved faster, grinding and pushing for more pressure, but their position made it difficult. Huffing in frustration, Naruto slid his hands into Sasuke's hair. The hair-tie came undone, letting Sasuke's silky hair slip around his fingers. He tighten his hold, tugging to pull Sasuke's face away from his neck. He heard a grunt, but smothered it with his lips. Their mouth crashed roughly, teeth clacking in a messy kiss. His hands drifted down between them, taking hold of their dicks and jerking. He stroked fast, wanting to bring them to climax quickly. He played with Sasuke's tip, pressing a nail into the slit. Sasuke moaned into the kiss, tongue twisting into his as he let his hands drop to Naruto's hips. He gripped tightly, bruising and painful. Naruto hummed. He kind of liked the feel of it. And then Sasuke was tensing, grunting as he came into his hands. Naruto pulled away in time to see his lover's face contort, mouth slack open, saliva drooling down the his chin. It was sexy. Naruto's breath hitched. He groaned as he ejaculated, his seeds mixing with Sasuke's.

Panting, they leaned on each other for support. Suddenly, Naruto was chuckling. Rolling his head to the side so he could see Sasuke, he said, "At least it didn't get the water dirty."

Sasuke blew out a breath of air, covering his laugh. "Let's clean up."

They washed up once more, then dressed in the yukata. By the time they stepped back into the room, a soft knock on the shoji door indicated their dinner was here. Naruto opened it and stepped aside for the server to bring in their food. It was a fancy, multi-course dinner. Appetizers consisted of bite sized mixed vegetables and some sweet wine, followed by the main dish of soup, grilled fish, and plenty of other food he never tasted before. Dessert was seasonal fruits that was freshening and cleaned the palette. When they finished eating, Naruto trudged to the futon and plopped down. Sleep threatened to take over, but he forced himself to stay awake. Rolling onto his back, he eyed Sasuke who was sliding the shoji shut. Naruto blushed as Sasuke turned around and looked down at him. He turned his head away, waiting for Sasuke to lay down beside him. It took a minute, but Sasuke eventually pushed his futon beside him and lay down beside him. The light was still on. He wasn't sure if he should turn it off. Anxiousness thrummed through his blood. Now that they were really getting to it, he was nervous. His mouth dried and he swallowed constantly to wet his parched throat. Naruto sat up abruptly, surprising Sasuke.

"U-um...lights...off?" he asked hoarsely.

Sasuke blinked. His face remained passive, unreadable. Slowly, he sat up, taking his hands into his. "Naruto...we don't have to do anything. You always tell me that," he said.

"I-I know..." Blushing, he looked away. "But...I really want to. Tha-that is...I mean...I want..." Naruto puffed. He wasn't a teenager anymore, yet he still found it hard to talk about stuff like this. Sex. It was normal. Everyone had sex. Okay, maybe not everyone, but the majority do and there was nothing wrong with talking about it, especially to the person he wanted to have sex with. Clearing his throat, he faced Sasuke again. "I want you to..." He licked his lips. "Iwantyouinsideme."

He rushed the words, flushing in embarrassment. He ducked his head, hiding his face. Sasuke lifted his head by the chin. Concerned eyes wavered on him. "Are you sure?" Sasuke asked.

Nodding vigorously, Naruto answered, "Yes. I want...I want to feel you."

"Okay..." Sasuke said slowly, nodding his head. "...okay...let me get the things we need first."

Lips pressed thinly, he nodded. He adjusted himself, sitting on his knees as he waited obediently. Sasuke disappeared, but came back just as quickly. In his hands were a bottle of strawberry scented lube and a packet of condoms. Naruto felt his face heat up at the sight of them. This was normal. He used them too back when he was dating Hinata, so why was it so shocking all of a sudden. Clearing his throat, he let his gaze drop to the futons. He sat rigidly as Sasuke came to sit in front of him. The pop of the bottle lid made him jump in surprise.

Sasuke raised a brow. "If you're too nervous, we can—"

"No! I want...I want it. I'm just...let me mentally prepare myself," he mumbled.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a virgin." Sasuke mused loudly, laughter dancing between his words.

"I'm an anal virgin! Why are you so confident all of sudden?! You've never had to take it up in the ass either...right?" Naruto asked, his eyes scrutinizing on the other man. Sasuke's expression fell flat. His black eyes darted away. Naruto gasped. "You're not?! Wha-but how?"

"Sakura and I..." Sasuke said slowly, "we...were a little on the experimental side. I've never had a dildo, but she did use her fingers."

"Ahhh! Stop!" Naruto waved his hands back and forth. His hands flew to cover his face. He moaned at the mental image in his head. Calming himself, he lowered his hands so his eyes peeked from above the fingertips. "Did...did it feel good?" he asked. His voice was muffled by his hands, but the question was still coherent.

Sasuke stared blankly. A slow smile, one of his rare ones, fluttered on his face. "Don't you want to find out yourself?"

Gulping, Naruto dropped his hands. He nodded, not trusting his voice. Sasuke nodded too. He placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed. Naruto fell with the small force. His back plopped onto the futon. His face was still hot. He had to fight the urge to cover his face again. Licking his lips, he asked, "Sh-should we...turn off the light?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I want to see you, if you're alright with that?"

"Mmm..." Naruto hummed. It was embarrassing, but he didn't mind if it made Sasuke happy.

His lover hovered over him. His cold hands slipped into his yukata, spreading it open to reveal his chest. Fingers trailed over his collar, down to his nipples. He gasped as Sasuke's fingers rubbed his left nipple. His legs jerked a the sensation. He felt the nub turn hard as Sasuke pinched and pulled. He arched slightly, wanting attention to the other side. His own hand flew to touch it, mimicking Sauske's ministration. His mouth drew lax as his breaths came out in quiet huffs. Sasuke explored his body with his hands, teasing him and setting a burning flame on his skin where ever he touched. He moaned, throwing his legs open. The sash of the yukata loosened, slipping the outfit from his body. Cool air whipped against his skin as his throbbing cock rose, weeping for touch.

Sasuke hummed satisfyingly. "You didn't wear an underwear?"

"N-no...I...I thought it would be faster this way," Naruto answered in a trembling voice.

"It's...perfect."

Sasuke leaned in, closing his mouth over his. They kissed again in fervent need as scurried hands fluttered and trailed over skin, sending goosebumps rising. Naruto found his way to the sash of Sauske's yukata and untied it. He let his hands slip between fabric and skin, tugging it off. Even with eyes close, he could feel the heat of Sasuke's skin, making him moan wantonly. Undressed and naked, Naruto opened his eyes. The light in the room exposed everything. Sasuke was beautiful. He breathed, letting his hands drift down his back, feeling the muscles. Sasuke sighed against his lips. He pulled away and sat back on his knees. Naruto pushed up on his elbows, catching sight of Sasuke's erect length. Seeing it brought a little relief to him. He wasn't the only one horny.

With his the sole of his feet plant on the futon and his knees bent, Sasuke pushed his legs wider apart. It stretched his thighs, but it was a good burn. Sasuke turned his head as his eyes remained on him. His pink lips fell open and a hot tongue, the very one that was just sucking on his tongue earlier, flicked out, licking along his inner thigh. Naruto whimpered. His head dropped back. Sasuke continued licking and biting down his thigh. He switched over to the other side and did the same till his mouth floated over the crown of his cock. Naruto whined as hot breaths teased his skin. He thrust his hips, wanting anything to touch him already. He could hear Sasuke laughing quietly and whined again. And then lips were covering the tip of his cock, sucking and teasing the slit. Naruto groaned, arching his back. It felt so _good_. A moan trapped in his throat, and he gave a throaty gasp. Sasuke's hot mouth delved lower, taking him bit by bit, sucking him hard and tickling him with soft brushes of his teeth. He pulled off with a pop, making Naruto groan frustratingly. He didn't want Sasuke to stop.

Replacing his hot mouth was his hand, stroking him slowly. With his eyes still close, Naruto heard Sasuke move. His hand disappeared again and Naruto let out another whine. Lifting his head to glare at the other man, he was suddenly caught in a daze. In Sasuke's hand was the bottle of lube. He was squeezing a good amount onto his hand, enough to send a waft of the strawberry scent over him. A little of it spilled over, splattering onto the futon, but the both of them were too lost in their heat to care. Smearing the lube, he dropped the bottle. Naruto watched in anticipation as Sasuke's fingers made its way to his asshole. He stopped inches away. Naruto growled. Why was he stopping again? Sasuke looked up with a smirk. He pulled his hand back and instead leaned over him to reach for a pillow. Naruto kept his gaze on the man, watching his every movement. Sasuke motioned with his hands for Naruto to lift his hips. He did as he was told. His lover placed the pillow beneath him, then motioned again to lower himself. Naruto did, letting his hips rest over the pillow.

Again, he waited as Sasuke went back to slathering more lube since it had been wiped off by the pillow. _Finally_. Finally, Sasuke was pressing the first digit against his rear. Naruto bit his inner cheek, feeling a pressing pain. Sasuke told him to breathe and relax. He tried, but failed the first time. Sasuke removed his finger, instead kissing his inner thigh once more to relax him. With his breathing steady again, Sasuke pushed his finger. It broke through the muscle, entering inside him. Naruto wiggled, huffing at the odd feeling. Sasuke stroked his cock, taking away the light pain with pleasure. Naruto hummed as he began to thrust his finger. _In. Out. In_. Sasuke added another finger without warning. Naruto gasped, feeling his asshole stretch. He gritted his teeth.

"Relax," Sasuke whispered.

He nodded and started breathing regularly. Sasuke continued stroking him, minimizing the intrusive pain. Naruto couldn't hold himself up anymore. He dropped his elbows and rolled his head to the side. Sasuke moved his fingers around as if trying to find something. Naruto frowned, but before he could ask, another finger was added to the two digits. He cursed, arching his back. Sasuke hushed him, placating him with gentle kisses on his thighs and over the tip of his cock which was actually deflating. Suddenly, a cold liquid dripped down onto his dick. Naruto hissed in surprise. He flicked his head, raising it to see what his lover was up to. The bottle of lube was in his hands again, the tip facing down as he drizzled a lot of the oily liquid onto his cock. It slid down, pass his testicles, and downward to the connection of his asshole and Sasuke's fingers. It was actually pleasant. He moaned, urging Sasuke to continue. His lover complied, thrusting it fingers again, twisting and turning, sinking deeper and deeper, bringing his cock back to life. And then Sasuke's fingers struck something inside, something that made him gasp in pleasure, twitched his legs and made him beg.

"Wha-what was that?" he asked in shock.

"That...is your pleasure spot," Sasuke replied huskily.

Without farther words to explain, Sasuke thrust into the spot over and over. Naruto was a whimpering mess. His legs were trembling, his back was arching with every brush, his voice was singing. His throat was going dry. This was _too much_. But it wasn't enough for Sasuke because his lips had found its way to the rim of his asshole. His tongue flicking and licking around this fingers, adding more sensation. Naruto's voice caught. He almost stopped breathing. And when he finally found his breath again, he was chanting Sasuke's name on his lips, whispering over and over. Fingers slipped away and in its place was a hot tongue stroking his inside and teasing him open. Naruto was moaning louder. And... _Holy fuck!_ He never expected Sasuke to be this daring on their first time. Sasuke's wonderful, talented tongue stroked his asshole while his hands jerked him off. Naruto was reaching the height of ecstasy.

The moment Sasuke's tongue disappeared, Naruto cried out. _No!_ He needed more. He needed Sasuke's slick, hot muscle licking him. He pleaded, then felt his legs being lifted. His eyes fluttered open—he didn't even know when he closed them—and saw Sasuke grabbing his legs. He held one leg while the other rested on his shoulder. Sasuke sunk his face between his legs, his pink tongue swiping at the skin between his ass and balls. His tongue pressed hard, slithered between licking the base of his cock and perineum as nimble fingers slid back inside his asshole. Fingertips pushed on the bundle of nerves, sending wave after wave of pleasure through Naruto's body. He shuddered, letting out another hoarse moan.

The tingle of his climax started at his toes and fingertips. He grasped the blankets beneath him, biting his lower lip as it spread through his body, centering on his groin. He didn't get a chance to warn Sasuke before he was coming, his voice a strangle; his seed spilled, splashing against his chest, a few droplets hitting his lips. He saw white and stars. And then he came down from his high, breathing heavily. His eyelids drooped as his body grew lethargic. He barely got a word out before he was consumed into the darkness.

He woke to warm sunlight hitting his face. Naruto groaned, rubbing his eyes groggily. He couldn't remember what happened as he sat up. A sudden throbbing pain shot up his ass. His eyes widen as he rolled onto his stomach and hunched over. Last night came back in flashes; the way Sasuke thrust his fingers and how his tongue explored him. Naruto blushed. Then he froze as he realized something very important. He sat up straight, ignoring the pain shooting up his butt to his spine. He leaned over and nudged a sleeping Sauske awake. Sasuke woke at the first nudge and shot him a bemused look.

Sasuke opened his mouth, whispering his name foggily, "Naru—"

"Why didn't you wake me up?!" Naruto asked frantically.

"What?" Sasuke frowned.

"I blacked out...we didn't...we didn't get to do it!"

Sasuke blinked. He must have been making a weird face because Sasuke was suddenly laughing quietly. He sat up and kissed him chastely on the lips. "We kinda did. I guess I should be flattered that I was able to make you faint like that. You really...knocked out. Even when I was cleaning you, you didn't wake up."

Naruto gaped, then covered his face. "Noooo! I wanted...that wasn't suppose to happen like that! I really wanted to have sex!"

"It was sex, just not penetrative sex. Hmm, but my fingers did make it in you, so sort of?"

"Ugh! You know what I mean!" Naruto whined. "Oh god, I didn't even get you off, did I?" He looked at Sasuke in shock.

"Mm, it's okay. I worked it out myself after."

Feeling even worst, Naruto turned away. He couldn't believe after everything, Sasuke making the reservation, all the studying, the anticipation, and...he fainted after a few fingers and a tongue. Sasuke pressed onto his back. He kissed his shoulder soothingly.

"It's okay, Naruto," Sasuke whispered. "You always say to take it slow, so we can."

"I was ready for this," Naruto muttered.

"Hm? Last night, you seemed like a nervous wreck though."

"Yeah, but I was so ready for more. And then...and then you and your expert fingers and tongue did so many things to me and I blacked out! By the way, where did all that confidence come from? The whole…tongue licking...thing...I never thought—expected—you to do that."

"Told you Sakura and I were experimental with our sex life."

Naruto looked over his shoulder, raising a brow at his lover.

Sasuke sighed. "Women can have anal sex too, you know," he said.

"Oh..." Naruto's shoulders sagged. He and Hinata weren't like that. They didn't get into all that kinky stuff. "I wanted...our first time to be special and this place seemed special.."

Now it was Sasuke arching a brow at him. "Special?"

"Yeah...like this is kinda our first date."

"Hmm...there's still plenty of other times we can make it special. It doesn't have to be this time." Sasuke kissed his shoulder again. "Now, how about we grab breakfast and then we can go shopping for some souvenirs before heading home?"

"Okay..." Naruto had agreed, but he was still down about what happened.

He was fastening the sash around his waist when Sasuke stood and suddenly said, "You know, my first time with Sakura wasn't special."

Naruto whipped his head quickly, nearly putting a crank in his neck. He stared at Sasuke curiously. He shrugged one shoulder.

"We were still in our beginning stages of dating. We fucked in an empty classroom. It didn't even last that long. Granted, she wasn't my first either, but it didn't mean much to me then. It wasn't really until after I realized I loved her, that I started to find something special in it. But this..." Sasuke looked around the room, "even if we didn't do more, I thought it was special."

He stared. Sasuke had opened up to him. It was usually rare, but when he did, it meant everything to Naruto. He stood, wincing at the pain, but ignoring it, so he could hug Sasuke and pull him in for a kiss. Smiling, he said, "This was pretty special to me too."

"Good." Sasuke ran his fingers through his hair. "Let's get ready to go, yeah?"

"Mm-hmm."

* * *

They arrived at the apartment complex around evening. Dragging the items they bought along with their overnight bag, the two of them ascended the stairs leisurely. At his apartment door, Naruto only gave one short doorbell ring when it suddenly swung open and he was besieged by arms. Himawari hugged him tightly as Boruto tugged on him, asking for his souvenir. Laughing, he tried to settle the children down. Iruka and Kakashi came over to help out, bring their things inside. With everything put away and souvenirs handed out, their family started dinner. Iruka helped Sasuke in the kitchen with Naruto hovering by if they needed any help. After a few missteps and nearly losing the salad, Naruto was pushed out of the kitchen. Pouting, he went into the living room instead to play with the kids.

Dinner was served close to eight. A little on the late side, but they were still able to enjoy the food and talk. Naruto and Sasuke spoke a little about their trip, describing the bamboo forest and baths. Himawari begged to go next time, so he and Sasuke promised to take the whole family the next time they could take time off. Dinner ended just as boisterously. By then, it was took late for his parents to leave. Naruto looked over to Iruka who was packing his bag. "Eh, why don't you and father just stay the night again? Not like you have work tomorrow. You're both retired," Naruto suggested.

"There's no room," Iruka replied logically.

"Actually, there is. You two can just stay in Naruto's room. And Naruto and I can just sleep in my apartment. I am just only one door over," Sasuke said.

"That...is actually a really good idea," Naruto said in wonder. He looked back to Iruka and grinned. "See!"

Iruka seem to debate it, but then conceded. "Alright. It is late and I don't want Kakashi driving this late. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Sasuke said.

After everything was arranged, he and Sasuke walked over to Sasuke's apartment. Already showered and dressed in their pajamas, all they needed to do was sleep. Naruto walked through the place. He never really spent time in Sasuke's apartment. They were mostly at his, so much so that many of Sasuke's belongings were practically a common item at his place. When they entered the room, Naruto stared at the bed. Sasuke got in first, then glanced over to him.

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"It's...a little weird, I guess. I've never slept in your bed before," he said.

"Mm...true." Sasuke patted the side next to him. "Well...come to bed then."

A silly grin plastered on his face as he rushed to bed. He slid into the blankets beside Sasuke and cuddled close. His arms spread and Sasuke rolled into them. They melded together easily, like always. Chest to chest, thigh to thigh, feet tangled, and their breaths mingling. If Naruto was brave enough, he would do more; kiss Sasuke, bite him, mark him, and suck him off. But the walls were thin and he really didn't want his parents to hear them having sex. So, he settled for hugging Sasuke close and letting last night's events take over his dreams instead.

* * *

 **A/N:** Yeeeeaaahhh…so this was just a smut chapter. Sorta…

And no, I'm most likely not going to have a Mitsuki x Boruto or Boruto x Mitsuki because I don't read or watch Boruto, so I don't know much about them. This was just a little teaser, haha. Anyways, it is back to reality for Naruto and Sasuke.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

He woke up the next day to find the bed empty, but Sasuke still lingering in the room. Rolling to lay on his side, he sat up with a groan. His ass twinged uncomfortably. Sasuke adjusted his tie as he glanced over to him. Naruto glared at the other man. "If I had known it would make me this uncomfortable, maybe I shouldn't have agreed so easily. Almost makes me want to be the top for the first time," he grumbled.

Sasuke raised a brow as he finished tightening his tie. "Just don't throw out your hips," he said blandly.

Flushing, Naruto threw a pillow at him, but Sasuke easily dodged it. His lover smirked at him, then waved goodbye as he left the room for work. Sighing, Naruto flopped back down again. He needed to get up and send his parents off, but the comfort of Sasuke's bed was alluring. He wanted to fall back asleep to the scent of Sasuke surrounding him. Sighing into the pillow, he moaned. He took a long whiff, the smell of Sasuke entering deep. Eyes fluttering close, he rolled to his side. Perverted thoughts entered his mind, teasing him to try. He licked his lips as his face heated. Hands slowly drifted down his abdomen to his hips. Fingertips plucked at the waistband of his pajamas. He let out a shaky breath, slipping just the tip of his fingers down the waistband. He was so close, wanting to succumb to his desire and just plunge. But a sharp knock on the front door prevented him from going farther. Suppressing a frustrated groan, he removed his hands. He sat up, throwing his legs over the edge of the bed as the knocking continued. Grumbling under his breath, he quickly went to the door and opened it. Kakashi stood in front of him, holding the duffel bag he and Iruka had packed.

"We're heading out," Kakashi said. "Iruka already made breakfast for the kids."

"Okay. Thanks," Naruto said as he slid his feet into a pair of outdoor slippers. He followed after Kakashi, closing Sasuke's door behind himself. They made it to his apartment door which was open. Iruka stepped out along with the children. Sarada and Himawari were dressed for school while Boruto was still in his pajamas. His son still had another week of suspension before he could head back to school. Turning to his parents, he said his goodbyes, then the children did the same. The two girls walked Iruka and Kakashi down the stairs while he and Boruto watched from the stairs. Naruto gave his parents one last goodbye as they got into the car, then drove off. Sarada and Himawari left soon after, leaving him and Boruto. Stretching his arms, he glanced down to Boruto. "So, you still have some assignments to do, don't you?"

"Yeah. Shikadai, Mitsuki, and Inojin said they were going to come over and work on it with me," Boruto said with a shrug. "Hope you don't mind."

"As long as you guys don't trouble the neighbors."

He needed to wash up and eat, then he was planning to give out the souvenirs he bought for everyone in the apartment complex. He got most of them boxes of dried persimmon, except Gaara who he decided to give a box of alcohol filled chocolates. He also bought a bottle of expensive sake for Teuchin as thanks for all the time he was flexible with his schedule. Naruto turned and walked back inside the house.

After he was done eating, he told Boruto to at least start on his assignment instead of waiting for the others. He grabbed the bag of souvenirs and made his way down the stairs. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he realized everyone was gathered by the entrance. Puzzled, he scurried over. Tapping Gaara on the shoulder, he asked, "What's going on?"

"Back from your trip?" Gaara asked instead.

"Yeah..." Naruto frowned as he looked around.

"Right, you and Uchiha weren't here. Bet you two didn't check your email either. Where is Uchiha, by the way?"

"Work. What's wrong?"

"We got an email over the weekend. Jiraiya passed away."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. "Jiraiya? Old man Jiraiya? What?! How? Last time I saw him, he was still healthy as ever!"

"I know. We weren't told much other than he passed away in his sleep."

"Shit. When is his funeral?" Naruto asked. He was devastated. Jiraiya had been a very lenient landlord. He was even prone to letting people get away with their rent a few months late. It was thanks to him that Naruto was even able to afford the apartment he was living in. He felt awful not knowing that the old man was no longer here.

"Don't know. But we were told that his adopted son, Nagato, received the deed to the apartment complex. He mentioned in the email that he was going to drop by today to let us know some important things."

Naruto could see that Gaara didn't seem too happy. Raising a brow, he asked, "Some bad news?"

"Not sure, but the email didn't sound good either."

Hoping to lift the mood a little, he began passing out his souvenirs. He gave Gaara's gift last which was received with a blank stare, then a small teasing smile. Naruto stiffened. He knew that smile all too well, being at the brunt of it most of the time. He opened his mouth, ready to retort.

"It's not even Valentine's Day yet," Gaara said before he could say anything.

Blushing, he stuttered, "It's not—oh for goodness sake, I know you're teasing, but gee!"

Gaara chuckled. "Thank you, Naruto. It's a thoughtful gift."

Naruto grunted. Folding his arms across his chest, he waited along with the others, discussing what Nagato was going to tell them. A few minutes later, a sleek, black car drove into the lot. Their group stepped back a little as the car parked. The driver car door swung open and a man with dark red hair stepped out. His eyes seem to linger on the building for a moment, then slowly turned to them. Naruto stared, watching the man stalk slowly toward them. He finally stopped in front of them. Dressed in a black, fitted suit, he let his gaze settle on each of them. Dread drowned over them as they waited in bated silence.

The man took a deep breath, then said loudly enough for all of them to hear, "My name is Nagato, Jiraiya's son. I have...unfortunate news. I was given the deed to this land, but I'm much too busy to be taking care of this place, so I sold the deed to a construction company. My apologies for not discussing it with you all, but I didn't have much time. I tried my best to negotiate for a year to let you guys find a new place, but unfortunately, the most I could only arrange four months. You have to leave this apartment by then. They're going to demolish this building and rebuild a new one. I'm sorry."

Naruto's jaw dropped. _Four months?!_ That wasn't long. And it was difficult to find another place with low rent that was near the kids' school. Everyone started to murmur in concern, voicing them out loud soon after, but Nagato had already turned, walking back to his car. Shaking off his stupor, Naruto chased after the man. He stopped the man and was momentarily taken aback by the cold eyes. He took a step back, gulping. He doubt asking Nagato to prolong the time limit would do much since he already agreed to the contract. Straightening his back, Naruto asked instead, "When is Jiraiya's funeral? If you don't mind, I would like to attend and pay me respect."

Nagato stared at him, then released a small breath. His gaze softened as he replied, "Of course. It will be held this upcoming weekend. Please, you and any of the residents here are free to attend. Thank you." He bowed his head, then got into the car.

Naruto took another step back and watched as Nagato drove away. He turned back to the group, finding that most of them were already heading back to their room. He caught up with Gaara who was standing in a small circle with Kiba, Shino, and Lee. He caught the end of Lee's sentence, mentioning that his girlfriend probably wouldn't mind letting him stay with her for a while. He joined them, standing next to Gaara.

"Oh man, I think my girlfriend wouldn't mind letting me and Shino stay with her, but I would hate to intrude on her. Shit, four months is not enough time for us," Kiba grumbled.

"At least you guys have something just in case," Naruto muttered. The four of them gave him a sympathetic look. After talking a while longer, the group dispersed, leaving him and Gaara behind. Naruto turned to his red hair neighbor. Raising a brow, he asked, "So, what are you going to do?"

Gaara shrugged. "I have some friends that probably wouldn't mind letting me stay with them for a while. If worst comes to worst, I may have to ask Temari if I could stay with her family for a bit until I can find a new place. That would suck though since there's Shikamaru and Shikadai. I'd be intruding on the family. I would go stay with my brother, Kankuro, but he lives too far from my work place." He sighed, running a hand through his short hair.

Naruto nodded. Crossing his arms, he also sighed. "I don't know what I'm going to do. I have no one who could help me out. Plus, I have the children too. I don't want to transfer them in the middle of a term."

"Why don't you tell Uchiha first? Maybe the two of you could figure something out together. Four months may not be long, but it's better than nothing."

"True. I'll give him a call and let him know. See you later, then."

Gaara nodded a goodbye. Naruto waved and returned to his apartment. Stepping back inside, he found Boruto in the living room with papers strewn everywhere. Smiling fondly, he walked over. He sat down on the couch, watching Boruto as he muttered over his assignment. He realized he would have to tell him and Himawari about Jiraiya. Grimacing, he hated the idea of bearing bad news. The two thought of the old man like another grandfather. Internally sighing, he leaned forward, propping himself with his arms against his thighs. "Boruto," he called out softly.

Boruto stopped scribbling on the paper and looked up. "Yeah?"

"I have...some bad news."

His son stilled. He set the pencil down, turning his whole body to face him. With a serious face, he asked, "What is it? Is it about the Gusaris again?"

"Ah, no. It's not that. You see...Jiraiya...he passed away over the weekend."

Boruto stared blankly, then shifted. His gaze lowered as he said quietly, "But...he was fine when we saw him last time."

"I know. But...some things just can't be foreseen. His son, Nagato, just stopped by. His funeral is going to this upcoming weekend. Want to go?"

"Yes." Boruto answered without hesitation.

"Okay. I'll have to let Himawari know too."

"She's not going to take it well."

"I know..." Naruto smiled sadly. He slid off the sofa and sat beside Boruto. He pulled his son in for a hug, gripping him tightly as his small shoulders shook. They remained like that in the quietness of the room until Boruto finally pushed him away and said he had to get back to his assignment. Naruto didn't want to leave him alone, but his son shooed him away, saying he would be a distraction. Giving in to his son's wish, he went to the bedroom where he fished out his cell phone. He thumbed the speed dial number, then finally pressed it, holding the button till it dialed. Pressing the phone to his ear, he waited as the other line rang and sat down on the edge of the bed. After the third ring, a voice picked up.

"Naruto?" Sasuke answered, "What's wrong?"

He smiled even though Sauske couldn't see. "I'm not bothering you, am I?"

"No. I'm still on the bus."

"Oh. Then I'll be quick. Did you check your email yet?"

"Not yet."

"Mmm...Jiraiya passed away over the weekend."

Sasuke let out a small breath. "I'm sorry to hear. The kids liked him."

"Yeah..." Naruto drifted, remembering when he first met the old man. He smiled sadly to himself as he played with the end of his t-shirt. "Also, his son, Nagato, dropped by after you left. He said that he sold the deed to the land of the apartment complex to some company. We were told that we have four months to look for another place." The other line was silent till Sasuke let out a heavy sigh. Even without seeing him, Naruto could see him rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"He couldn't have let us residents know first before he decided anything?" Sasuke asked with a strained tone.

"Probably could have, but he already made the agreement."

"Four months is not long."

"Yeah...I'm not sure what to do either..."

"...Let's talk about this later tonight when you get back."

"Mm, okay. See you then."

He hung up, tossing the phone aside on the bed as he flopped back. With a sigh, he closed his eyes. A heavy weight fell over him. Jiraiya was _gone_. He didn't think the old man would pass away so soon. When he had been searching for a place, Jiraiya had been the one to approach him at a park. At first he had thought the old man was a pervert, but after talking a bit with him, he realized Jiraiya was quite generous. The rent he paid was lower than normal and the apartment was in a good neighborhood. He was glad he had met him. Also, Boruto and Himawari were really fond of him. Another sigh escaped his lips. He was going to dread telling Himawari the news. After a moment of mourning, he finally sat up again and got ready for work.

At work, he gave Teuchi the sake souvenir he got for him. Teuchi was grateful and even offered to drink some with him after work, but Naruto politely declined. He needed to get back home quickly since he and Sasuke had a lot to talk about. Rolling his shoulder, he got back to work serving customers. Sometime in the middle of work, his head started to throb. Rubbing his temple, he leaned back against the wall in the back of the restaurant. Ayame walked into the back, catching sight of him.

"Headache again?" she asked in concern.

Naruto tried to smile, but it came out more as a grimace. "Yeah. I've been getting them lately."

She walked over to him, placing a hand on his head. "No fever. Hmm, maybe you should go to the hospital."

"It's just a headache here and there. I'll be fine."

"Is it...usual?"

"Mmm, kinda? I've been getting them after Hinata passed away. I think it's mostly due to stress."

"Oh? What happened?"

"Ahh...it's nothing you have to worry about."

"Are you sure? My father and I are always willing to help out."

"I know and thanks, but it's nothing too bad. You've guys already done so much."

"It's no problem. You've been a big help for us too." Ayame smiled. "Can you still work? If not, you can leave early."

"It's okay. It doesn't hurt too much. I can still work."

Naruto lifted his arm with a wide grin. Ayame seemed a bit reluctant to let him back to work, but Naruto insisted. Soon, the two of them were back in the front serving customers again. He was in the middle of gathering a few empty bowls when Teuchi called him over to the back. After setting the dishes in the washer, he hurried over. Teuchi handed him a bowl in silence. Naruto blinked. Without any words, Teuchi started showing how to arrange the ramen. Naruto stared in awe. He was in a stupor, surprised that Teuchi was showing him how he did things. Breaking out of his trance, he started copying Teuchi.

A few bowls later, Teuchi patted his shoulder. He smiled and said, "From now on, I want you come in a bit earlier. I want to show you how I cook the broth and prep. I think it's time you started learning."

"Oh..." Naruto was lost for words. His heart was overwhelmed with a lot of emotions. Blinking back tears, he nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! Thank you so much."

Teuchi grinned. "One more thing..."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Well...Naruto, you're a widower and you have two children to take care of..."

"Uh...yes..." Naruto straightened his back. He was getting concerned as to where the conversation was turning.

"I was thinking...Ayame isn't getting any younger and she's so busy helping me run this restaurant. I feel horrible as a father. I know you're a good man and even if you have children, I would like it if maybe you and Ayame get along better."

"Er...Teuchi, I'm not sure what you mean."

"I think you and my daughter would make a nice couple. She's a bit older than you, but she's a good woman. She can cook and clean. And I'm sure your children need a mother. I also don't mind having you as a son-in-law. That way I can be rest assured that my restaurant is also well taken care of."

"Teuchi..." Naruto's voice trailed. He was panicking. How was he suppose to tell Teuchi he wasn't interested? After everything the man did for him, letting him get a job there and allowing him to come and go with his work schedule, he felt awful. But he wasn't interested in Ayame and he was already in love with Sasuke. Biting his lower lip, he flicked his gaze away from him. "I...I think maybe you should talk about this with Ayame. She may not like it..."

"Nonsense. I think she's taken quite a liking to you." Teuchi chuckled.

Naruto laughed nervously. _Shit_. There wasn't any other way. He could tell Teuchi without mentioning Sasuke's name. Hopefully, his announcement doesn't come out as a disaster. "Teuchi, I am very grateful for everything you've done for me. And Ayame is a nice woman, but you see...I'm already...in love with someone else." Teuchi blinked blankly at him. He stood a little straighter and his smile slowly faded. Naruto anxiously waited for his response. He twisted his hands in front of him, shifting on his feet back and forth. This was bad. Awkward silence was never a good thing. Clearing his throat, he continued, "I, um, I'm very flattered that you think of me as someone who can support Ayame, but I truly cannot be with her if I don't have feelings for her. If anything, I think that would be more rude to her."

Teuchi frowned. "Hmm...and who is this other woman?"

"Ah..." Naruto blushed. He scratched his cheek sheepishly. _Here goes…_ "It's not...a woman."

"Oh." Teuchi stared. "I see...but you were married. Did you..." Teuchi struggled with his words. After fumbling through, he cleared his throat and finished asking, "did you _like_ men when you were with her?"

"What? No!" Naruto shook his head, "Hinata was...she was the only one I ever loved. I mean, before dating her, I may have looked at other men, but I never thought much about it. And then we started dating and everything else after that...it was just her in my eyes." Naruto spoke fondly, remembering the days when he started dating Hinata. They were both so clumsy and shy. Their first date was awkward and he didn't even get the first kiss correctly. He had knocked teeth with her. He chuckled at the memory. "I truly loved her."

"And this man…?"

"Ah, I'm just as surprise. I didn't think I would ever fall in love again. And I never expected it to be with another man, but well, one cannot control the heart."

"Is he good with the kids?"

"Yes. Actually, he has a child too."

"He does?" Teuchi's eyes widen in surprise. "And he's fine?"

Naruto smiled. "We're working on it slowly. We may not have been together for very long, but the both of us have struggled through the hardship together. I...don't think I can leave him. I'm sorry, Teuchi." Looking downcast, Naruto dropped his gaze to the floor.

A hand fell on his shoulder, bringing his eyes back up. Teuchi was smiling gently. He said, "It's fine. I'm just glad you found someone. Ah darn," Teuchi cluck his tongue, "looks like I was too late in trying to nab you for my daughter."

They laughed together heartily and warm. Naruto grinned, glad that Teuchi had taken the news well. They talked a while longer about Sasuke, although he never mentioned his name to Teuchi, then finally went back to work. While he worked, he spotted Ayame serving another table. He watched her for a moment. Ayame was a hard working woman. Maybe if he hadn't met Sasuke, he might have agreed to Teuchi's offer. Smiling, he shook his head. He was thinking too much. Besides, as much as he liked working here, he didn't want to own Teuchi's restaurant. In truth, he wanted to open his own place, but that would be further in the future as it would cost quite a bit just to open a shop.

"What did you and my father talk about?" Ayame asked suddenly from beside him.

He nearly jumped in the air, surprised by her appearance. Clutching a hand over his chest, he replied, "That, we, uh, you know...things. Nothing too important."

Ayame eyed him suspiciously. Naruto forced a smile, hoping she didn't ask further questions. Now that he thought about it, did Teuchi really think Ayame had a thing for him? If she did, he hoped she would soon let go of her feelings. He couldn't ever return them.

Ayame sighed. "He didn't say anything weird, did he?"

"Nope. None. Nothing weird." Naruto shook his head.

"You realize you're only making this worst."

"Ack..." Naruto flushed.

"Come on, tell me already or I'm going to keep bugging you."

Relenting, Naruto finally said, "Teuchi was saying that you and I...should, you know..."

"What?" Ayame tilted her head curiously. "Should what?"

"Become a couple. He said he wouldn't mind having me as a son-in-law."

Ayame stared for a second, then broke out in a loud laugh. She clenched her stomach and bent over, causing most of the customers to look over. Naruto, flustered, tried to make her stop. She didn't stop laughing for a good minute. Once the laughter was out of her system, she straightened herself. She wiped the tears from her eyes, giggling a little as she did.

She let out a sigh. "Naruto, you're a good man, but I'm not interested in you like that. If anything, you're more like family. A little brother."

"Thank goodness," Naruto said with relief. "Teuchi hinted that you may have liked me."

"Gross. No, but whoever gets your attention is a lucky person."

"Eh? Why do you say that?"

"You seem like a caring and honest guy. Anyways, that made my day. Father must be worried if he's trying to put you and me together. Ahhh, I don't need a man to be able to run this place. I wish he would trust me a little more." Ayame looked on sadly.

"Maybe the two of you need to sit down and talk about it."

"Probably. Yeah, maybe I'll do that tonight. Thanks, Naruto."

"No problem."

Grinning at each other, they eventually went back to work. The rest of the day went by without a problem. Before long, the restaurant reached its closing time. He helped clean up and put away the noren. By the time he left the ramen shop, it was already one in the morning. He had already missed the last train home. With a sigh, he rummaged through his bag and took out his cell phone. He hate calling for a taxi. They were always expensive, but since he didn't want to end up staying out all night, he needed a ride back. Ayame had offered earlier to give him a ride, but he didn't want to be a bother since he lived in the opposite direction of them. Pressing in the numbers, he called for the taxi and let them know the address of where to pick him up and where he wanted to go.

After making his call, he hung up and exhaled slowly. Leaning against the side of the building, he glanced up at the night sky. Being in the city, the lights of nearby buildings lit up the dark sky, masking the twinkling stars. Sometimes he missed the countryside where the night sky was clear enough for him to see the stars. In those days, he had often spent them with Hinata before they even got together as a couple. They would spend those nights laying in the grass and staring up into the starry sky, talking about whatever came into mind. Hinata had been shy and didn't talk much, but she listened and encouraged him plenty. Back then, he didn't understand what that bubbly warm feeling in his heart meant. He just knew that he liked being with Hinata and that she made him feel comfortable. She never judged and always accepted him for who he was. She was the first person to tell him she admired his bravery and his family.

Glancing back down, he looked over to his left hand. Even after years, the pale mark on his ring finger was still there where his wedding ring use to sit. He had taken it off weeks after Hinata's death because he couldn't bear to look at it without feeling the painful crush in his chest. Reminiscing back on it, he flicked through a few memories, trying to remember where he had placed the ring. A blurry image of a velvet black box stuffed away into an unnamed cardboard box, stored into one of the closet in his parents' home fluttered through the front of his mind. _Ah._ He remembered now. Maybe he would call Iruka tomorrow and ask him to find it for him.

He closed his eyes as he rubbed the ring mark around his finger. He didn't think he would ever marry again, but meeting Sasuke had changed his mind. Even now as the images of his raven haired lover shifted through his mind, he smiled warmly at the thought of spending the rest of his life with him. When he opened his eyes again, he wondered if he would be able to lay a field of grass and stare up at the sky, talking about nothing to everything, with Sasuke too. Just the thought filled him with affection.

Suddenly, a car drove up. The sign above the roof indicated the taxi was here to pick him up. Naruto pushed off the wall and hurried inside, directing the driver to his apartment complex. Soon, he arrived back home. Paying the taxi driver, he thanked him, then hurried up the stairs to his apartment door. Opening it, he quietly stepped inside the dark room. He slipped his shoes off and padded through the apartment quietly. The children were sleeping, but the soft light from under his bedroom door told him Sasuke did indeed wait up for him. He felt bad for making Sasuke stay up since he still had work tomorrow and needed to get up early. He opened the door slowly and surprisingly found Sasuke sleeping. Silently, he opened the door wider so he could go inside the room, then quietly shut the door behind him. He thought he did a good job, but unfortunately when he looked back to the bed, Sasuke was already stirring awake. Apologetically, he walked over to the bed and sat down beside him.

"Hey," Naruto greeted softly.

"Welcome back..." Sasuke greeted as he leaned in, kissing him tenderly on the cheek.

Blushing, Naruto smiled. "Thanks. Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up."

"It's okay. I meant to wait up for you anyway. We still need to talk. Why don't you wash up first? And maybe eat. I left dinner in the fridge."

"I'll wash up, but I'm not really hungry. Be back in a bit."

Naruto kissed him chastely, then hurried back out the room to wash up. He cleaned himself in less than a half an hour and was back in bed with Sasuke, cuddling close to him. Sasuke rolled into his arms, stifling a yawn. His lover reached out and clicked the lights off, covering the room in darkness. Enveloped in warmth, Naruto sighed contently. "So...have you thought about what to do?"

"Finding a new place?" Sasuke lifted his head slightly.

"Yeah..."

"I don't want to go too far. I like the school Sarada is attending right now and it would be troublesome to transfer her in the middle of a term."

"I thought the same. And honestly...I don't think I can afford another place. Jiraiya was kind enough to lower the rent for me. I still can't believe he's gone..."

"Me too. He was a good man.

Naruto shifted, bringing Sasuke closer. Their bodies melded easily, thighs touching and feet tangled. Their foreheads bumped and their noses brushed against each other's tip. Naruto cupped the side of Sasuke's face. "I'm going to his funeral. Which reminds me...I haven't told Himawari yet."

"I already did." Sasuke leaned his head into the palm of his hand. "She didn't take it too well. I let her cry it out."

"Ah...thanks. I'll check on her tomorrow morning then."

"Mmm...hey, Naruto?"

"Hm?"

"Should we...just live together?"

Silence filled the room as Naruto was lost for words. He didn't think Sasuke would be the one to offer the suggestion first. Sucking in a breath, he pressed both hands to Sasuke's face and kissed him hard. Once, then twice firmly on the lips. He rolled them over, covering Sasuke's body with his own as he dipped for another kiss, prying his lover's lips open as his tongue delved inside the hot cavern, tasting him from roof top to the slick tongue, tangling them in a sultry dance. When he pulled away, Sasuke was breathing hard for air.

"Naruto..." Sasuke whispered out of breath.

"Do you really mean that?" Naruto asked as he rubbed his thumbs against Sasuke's cheeks.

Sasuke nodded. "Yes."

"I want a yard...let's get a dog."

"I'm more of a cat person."

Naruto chuckled. "Let's get both."

Sasuke huffed a laugh, then lifted his head to kiss him. "Fine."

And then he was rolling off the other man and pulling him back into his arms. He wasn't sure if they were moving too fast, especially as men who were still exploring their feelings for each other. But the decision to live with Sasuke felt so right. And he was always the type to follow his heart rather than think too hard on things. Smiling more to himself, he made a promise he would do everything in his power to make Sasuke the happiest man int he world.

* * *

 **A/N:** I take way too long to update. And I'm so sorry for that. DX

But, I do have the next two chapters already written and completed, so it's going to be a bulk update. Some more drama that shouldn't be too bad. And then I already have the next chapter after these other two already planned out, so hopefully I can get it written soon too. Sooooo, hopefully you guys enjoy the next chapters! :D


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Jiraiya's funeral came and pass. Mourned and never forgotten, a month passed in an instant. Naruto and Sasuke had started looking for a new place soon after the funeral, but even after a month, the two of them still didn't have any luck in finding a place. Today, Naruto and Sasuke had taken a day off to meet up with their real estate agent to look at some houses around the area, but again they didn't find one fitting to their taste. Sighing in defeat after returning from their search, Naruto stuck the key into the apartment door dejectedly. Sasuke stood beside him, shaking his head at his exaggerated movements. Pouting, he looked over to his lover. "There's only three months left. We still have to pack too," he said.

"I know," Sasuke said. "We'll find a place soon."

He wasn't so sure, but Naruto nodded. Smiling, he leaned it to kiss Sasuke on the lips. The frigid stillness of his lover didn't go unnoticed. Naruto pulled back and immediately opened his mouth to apologize. He had gotten use to kissing him that he forgot they were still in broad daylight, standing right outside the door where anyone could see them. "Ah, sorry, I didn't—"

"I should have known you were no good," a stern voice said from behind him.

Naruto jolted. He swiveled on his heels. His eyes widened in shock at the figure standing near the staircase. Long hair with brows furrowed sternly, the older man grunted in disappointment. Or maybe it was disgust? He didn't know which one it was. Naruto wet his lips nervously. He hadn't seen the old man in ages. He never even expected to. Seeing him again with the same pale eyes so much like his deceased wife, yet filled with such contempt, made his emotions conflict with one another.

"F-father-in-law..." Naruto mumbled. Hiashi Hyuga continued staring at him, face scrunched. His eyebrows twitched when he had called him _father-in-law_. Not a surprise for him. He wanted to turn around and see Sasuke's reaction, but his back was turned toward him and he didn't think Hiashi would like it if he turned away. Then again, he was sure Sasuke's expression would remain blank. Things like this often left Naruto wondering how to discern Sasuke's emotions because his lover was good at hiding his emotions. Twiddling his fingers, Naruto cleared his throat. "What brings you here? And...how did you find me?"

Hiashi sighed loudly. "It's not that hard when you have good detectives to hire. But when I heard from them that you were...in a relationship with a man, I couldn't believe it. I came here to see for myself and it was all _true_. My daughter...my daughter eloped with a man who sleeps with men! I can't forgive that! You didn't love her...you tricked her!"

Normally, Naruto wouldn't have raised his voice, especially to his father-in-law, but hearing Hiashi say he didn't love Hinata irked him. "You're wrong!" Naruto yelled. "I did love Hinata. She was everything to me!"

"And you couldn't protect her."

"She had cancer! What was I suppose to do?!" Naruto clenched his shirt. His heart pang at the memory. He would have done anything to have her live. He prayed to whatever Gods out there, visited different hospitals to see what they could do, put her through surgery, chemo therapy, but still...it wasn't enough. The cancer kept resurfacing and her body couldn't handle it anymore. He didn't want to see her suffer. It was too painful. Tears welled, threatening to fall. "You weren't even there. What right do you have? What right do you—!"

"Naruto," Sasuke's firm voice interrupted him. His strong hands gripped his biceps and squeezed comfortingly. "You two should go inside and talk."

He bit back his last words and took a shaky breath. Exhaling slowly, he nodded his head. Truthfully, he wanted nothing to do with Hiashi. He had disowned Hinata when she chose to marry him and had remained estranged. Even when Hinata had sent him news of the birth of his first grandchild, Hiashi never appeared or wrote back.

Instead, he wanted to get inside the apartment with Sasuke, hold him in his arms, and just...forget. He wanted Sasuke's warmth to envelope, to soothe him, and promise him sweet nothings. But he also knew he couldn't run away. Lifting his head, he looked to Sasuke. His lover's gaze stared into him. No words were exchanged, but he knew that Sasuke would come back once Hiashi left. Sasuke's hand left his arm, leaving behind a burning cold in its place. He wanted it back, but Sauske was already turning and entering his own apartment. Finally, he turned back to Hiashi and opened his door. "Please, come inside," he said.

Inside the apartment, a tense silence fell over the two. Naruto placed two cups of hot tea on the coffee table and then sat down. Hiashi sat on the lone chair, his gaze observing and scrutinizing the apartment room. Nervousness trickled back into his body. His leg bounced as he waited for Hiashi to say something...anything! But nothing came and the silence continued. Naruto leaned forward to take his cup, sipping as quietly as he could.

"I want to see my grandchildren," Hiashi said suddenly.

Naruto nearly burned himself from the surprise. Steadying his hands, he set the cup back down. "They're still at school, but they should be back in a bit."

"So you just let them walk home by themselves?"

"I usually work—"

"I know. I've done my research. You work at a ramen shop owned by Teuchi. You chose to live here because the now deceased, previous owner of this apartment complex, Jiraiya, lowered the rent for you. And now...this apartment building has been sold and all the residents need to leave in four months time. Well, three now."

Naruto gritted his teeth. Hands clenched, he stared into Hiashi's eyes. "What do you want?"

"I'll make this quick. I—"

"We're home!" Himawari's voice sang through the apartment as she opened the door. Her feet thudded down the short entrance, but skidded to a stop when she noticed Hiashi. Boruto and Sarada appeared behind her. Both of them looked between Naruto and Hiashi in confusion.

"It's Grandpa Hiashi!" Himawari exclaimed.

Naruto noticed the jerk in Hiashi's movement. He flicked his gaze back to the older man and watched him as he stared at his grandchildren for the first time. Clearing his throat, he told the children to head over to Sasuke's apartment. They were a little reluctant, but Sarada persuaded them to leave. After the kids left, Naruto turned back to Hiashi.

"They...knew me..." he muttered.

"Of course they do," Naruto said. "You may have disowned Hinata, but you were still her father. She still told the kids about you. She even had pictures of you, thanks to Hanabi."

"Hanabi?"

"Unlike you, Hanabi was perfectly fine with me. She kept in contact with us, but it looks like you've finally put more responsibility on her as the heiress since she hasn't contacted me in a while to see her niece and nephew."

Hiashi scowled. "Of course she would do this behind my back..."

"You were saying...what are you doing here?"

Recollecting himself, Hiashi sat up. "I want custody of my grandchildren."

The shock of the words left Naruto speechless. Hiashi never once participated in the lives of his grandchildren. Anger roiled through him. He stood up abruptly, surprising Hiashi. Frowning, he shouted, "You can't just waltz into my home and say you're taking my children! You have no right! You didn't want anything to do with us!"

"I can and I will! I won't let the children of my daughter live...live like paupers! You can't even afford to support them! The man named Jiraiya helped you! And you work at a dead end job! Add to that fact that you're in a relationship with another man! Who was that other girl standing beside my grandson?! Your lover's child?! He's in an affair with you, then?!"

"I can't believe—! You _disowned_ Hinata! All because I wasn't good enough! You didn't care when she received news of having cancer. You didn't even bother to come to her funeral! And you didn't even care to check on your _grandchildren_ after their mother passed! You have no right to take them from me!" Naruto was furious. His hands flared through the air as he screamed. "And just to let you know, we were _happy_. Hinata and I. Even if we didn't live luxurious lives, the two of us were happy. We had our children, we had a roof over our heads, and we had food we could put on the table...we—! We...were _happy_." His words choked. A lump formed in his throat. Turning away, he rubbed his hands against his face as he tried to calm himself. Breathing heavily, he said, "And yes, Sarada is Sasuke's child, but don't you dare belittle him. Sasuke is a single father. He lost his wife a few years back, but he has been raising his daughter by himself for a long time. He is a good man who would do anything for his daughter...unlike you."

Hiashi stood quietly. He straightened his back and said in a low voice, "I don't think you understand the gravity of my words, Naruto. You _will_ give me custody of them. If not, you will be forcing my hands to make you."

He turned and walked out of the door. The door hadn't close all the way, so he heard Himawari's tiny voice saying goodbye to Hiashi. Exhaling roughly, he slumped back onto the couch. Dropping his head to his hands, he let out a scoff. Not only did he have to deal with finding a new place, now he had to deal with Hiashi trying to take his kids away. The thought made him afraid. Hiashi had enough network to be able to get the legal system against him. It would mean fighting a losing battle. Even so, he couldn't just sit back and watch his children get taken away. _What am I going to do, Hinata?_ He thought as he leaned back against the sofa.

Who could help him? He didn't have any friends that knew the law about child custody or a lawyer friend in any matter. Was he to be left helpless again and watched his family fall apart once more? Naruto closed his eyes. Tears slid down his cheeks. Hopeless despair swallowed him, sinking him deep in their waters. He was drowning no matter how much he swan toward the surface. The water was thick and pulled him deeper into the abyss.

"Naruto," Sasuke's voice whispered beside him.

He jerked. He was so lost in his emotions, he hadn't noticed Sasuke approaching him. Wiping the tears, he cleared his throat. "Hey...um, where are the kids?"

"I told them to stay in my apartment and do their homework."

"Oh. Good..."

"You're, uh, argument didn't go unheard."

"The kids heard?"

"Most likely."

"Shit."

Naruto's shoulders drooped. He didn't need them worrying over adult things. A hand fell on his shoulder, tugging him. He went with the pull, letting himself fall into Sasuke's arm. His familiar scent relaxed him. He rolled his head, tucking his face into the crook of his lover's neck. He breathed in and out slowly, letting the tension fall from his body.

"Want to talk about it?" Sasuke asked.

"...Hmmm...where to start?" Naruto asked rhetorically. Trailing his hand down Sasuke's arm, he entwined their fingers. "When I first started to date Hinata, Hiashi was already against it, but we still dated, not caring. When I wanted to marry her, I decided I needed his blessings so as not to cause rift between Hinata and him. After all, he was her father. When I went to their place, he slammed the door in front of my face. For two days straight, I knelt in front of their house in the rain. By the third day, Hinata came out of the house with her bags. She said she didn't need her father's blessings to marry me. I was little reluctant at first, but Hanabi, Hinata's younger sister, urged us to go and elope. She said Hiashi's mind wouldn't change, so with her younger sister's blessings, I took Hinata away and married her. After that, Hiashi disowned Hinata and chose not to contact her. Hanabi stayed in contact with us, even after she was chosen as the next heiress."

"Heiress?" Sasuked asked.

"Yeah...oh, you should know their family name. Hyuga."

"Hyu...ga? Like the Hyuga family that is renown for upholding Japanese traditions in tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and traditional dance along with having their own form of jujutsu?"

"Yup." Naruto grinned.

Sasuke leaned back to take a look at him. "You married the eldest daughter of the well renown Hyuga family..."

"Surprising?"

"Yes...now that I think about it, there was a bit of news about Hiashi Hyuga disowning a daughter."

"Yeah. My name was kept out of it. Probably because he was ashamed Hinata married me."

"Why?"

Naruto shrugged. "My parents were gay...two male men who raised a child. We weren't rich and we didn't have much to give. Most likely, I didn't have much I could offer. Hinata on the other hand...she was raised well, taught the ways of being a traditional Japanese woman. She was the heiress to a family of old traditions. It's like having a noble lady marry a peasant. Hiashi couldn't let that ruin the Hyuga's family name."

"So he disowned Hinata and chose his second daughter to take over."

"Yes. Hanabi was nice. Unlike Hiashi, she didn't mind my status and even encouraged our relationship to develop. Without her, I don't think Hinata and I would have gotten together. She stayed in contact with us after Hiashi disowned Hinata. She came to birthday parties for the kids and offered to babysit if Hinata and I ever needed some alone time together. She was there when Hinata fell ill and helped out during the funeral. Actually, she helped a lot even after, but I guess being the next heiress, she ended up with more responsibilities. She got busier and busier. She hasn't contacted me in a while."

"Maybe you should contact her tomorrow. She may be able to help."

"Maybe. I don't know...but I guess it's worth a try."

Sasuke hummed, then kissed his forehead. Naruto sighed contently, resting his head on Sasuke's shoulder. The day passed by as usual afterward. The children returned to the apartment and didn't ask questions about what happened earlier on. Naruto was grateful for it, but guilty at the same time. He didn't want them to have to act like adults. He decided he would treat them to some desserts over the weekend. It was the least he could do for the children who were growing much too fast.

The next day, he phoned Hanabi when everyone had left. She picked up his call on the second ring, surprised that he was contacting her. Smiling to himself, he said, "You're family. I should check up on you every now and then."

"Liar. If that was so, you would have done that earlier. What's going on?" she asked dismissively.

"Did you know that father visited me yesterday?"

"Huh? Dad? No, I had no idea. Why would he? He was so adamant about remaining out of your lives after the whole fiasco with Hinata and you marrying."

"Yeah...well, he did and he said he wanted custody of Boruto and Himawari."

"What?! I can't believe him! I'm so sorry, Naruto! I never thought he would go that far. Is there anyway I can help?"

"Maybe a lawyer?"

Hanabi sighed. "Father always has the best lawyers. I don't know if I can be of much help in finding a better one, but I'll try. I'll also talk with dad and try to persuade him."

Naruto scoffed. "Good luck with that."

"I know...anyways, take care of yourself, okay? I'll visit soon. I want to see my niece and nephew. And don't worry too much, okay? I'll find a way to stop dad."

"Thanks." Naruto hung out. Flopping down on the sofa, he exhaled loudly. He hoped things wouldn't get out of hand.

* * *

Around seven o'clock at work, Naruto's cell phone started buzzing. Setting the dirty plates into the sink, he dug through his pocket and took out his phone. Checking the caller, he was surprise to see the house phone number. Frowning, Naruto politely excused himself from beside Ayame and answered the call.

"Uncle Naruto?!" Sarada's shaky voice filtered from the other line.

"Sarada? What's wrong?" he asked in concern. She didn't normally call him.

"It's...it's Boruto and Himawari. I—I met up with them after school like usual, but I forgot something back in the club room, so I went back to get it. But when I went back to the entrance, Boruto and Himawari weren't there. I thought maybe they went ahead, which was odd, but I didn't think much of it. So I went back and I waited for an hour, but...but they aren't back yet!" Sarada's small voice turned into quiet sobs.

Fear spiked in Naruto. His heart thudded heavily as he tried to calm her down. "It's okay, Sarada. I'll go look for them. I'm sure nothing bad happened. You're still at home?"

"Ye-yes," she stuttered.

"Okay, good. Stay home, okay? Make sure the door is locked."

"O-okay."

After calming her down a little more, Naruto hung up. Adrenaline pumping with the sound of blood rushing against his ears, he barely had time to tell Teuchi what happened as he changed back into his casual clothes. He just mentioned his children were in trouble and rushed out. He promised the old man he would explain more after. He was outside when he thought to call Sasuke. Cursing under his breath, he speed dial his lover and waited anxiously. His foot tapped against the cement. When the first call didn't go through, he cursed loudly. People swerved around him, staring as he began walking to and fro. He called again, begging quietly that Sasuke would pick up. After the third ring, his smooth voice answered.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked.

"Shit! I—fuck! Sarada just called me and said Boruto and Himawari are missing. Fucking...ugh! I'm thinking this has something to do with Hiashi. Look, I'm going to call Hanabi, but I think you should head home right now. Sarada sounded really scared over the phone. She's home alone, but I think someone needs to be with her."

"Of course."

Noises of things scattering and voices muffled from the other line, but Naruto could tell Sasuke was hurrying to get out of the office. He reassured Sasuke that he would get his children back and to worry more about Sarada's well being. They said their goodbyes shortly after. Immediately after hanging up with Sasuke, he called Hanabi. She picked up on the first ring which he thankfully muttered for. He quickly went over what happened and she immediately told him Hiashi had a place near there since he didn't like staying at hotels.

"I'll text you the address and then I'll head over there too," she said.

"I can't fucking believe he would try to kidnap them," Naruto growled.

"We don't know that yet. Hopefully, they're with him. If they are, we at least know that they're safe. Dad can be stubborn, but he won't harm them."

"I know. Still!" Naruto huffed. "Thanks, Hanabi."

"No problem."

Again, he hung up the phone. Seconds after he did, his cell binged, notifying him a text came through. He quickly took a look, noting down the address Hanabi sent. Then, he called for a taxi, urgently requesting them to hurry. He was in luck the taxi service listened. They arrived in less that ten minutes. Getting into the car, he gave them the address and once again told them to hurry. The drive was still painstakingly slow. Naruto thrummed his fingers against the seat, fidgeting as he looked on ahead. _Hurry! Can't we go any faster?!_ He huffed, running his fingers through his hair. His legs began to jostle up and down. They were almost there, but traffic started to slow them down. He mentally cursed, then wondered if it would be faster by foot.

He almost told the taxi driver to just stop, but then they started moving again. Soon, they arrived at the destination. A traditional Japanese house loomed ahead. The gates were guarded by two men dressed in black suits. Not wanting to take much longer, Naruto apologized as he tossed the cash to the taxi driver and got out before they could reach the house. He reached the end of the sidewalk when he saw the gates open. Himawari burst out of the wooden gates. Naruto could see Boruto behind her and Hiashi chasing them. Relief flooded him at the sight of his children. They were safe. He was about to cross the street when Himawari noticed him. His daughter's tear stained face brightened at the sight of him.

"Daddy!" she yelled. Himawari jolted across the road.

Bright headlights flashed in the corner of his eyes. Naruto didn't have time to call out to her. All he could think about was his daughter's safety. He shot out onto the street. Everything around him slowed as Himawari stopped in the middle of the road, shocked from the car heading straight for her.

"Himaaa!" Boruto's voice yelled.

"Himawari!" Hiashi shouted at the same time.

Blood rushing, his feet pounded hard against the ground. He lunged with all the strength he had. His arms flung out as his teeth gritted. _Please...oh God, please let me get to her in time. Don't take her away from me too!_ He begged inwardly, desperately wishing he had some power to get to her faster. His fingers touched fabric, then flesh. Grunting, he pushed Himawari back. He saw her tiny figure stumble back toward Hiashi and Boruto. Her eyes wide with tears, staring at him with shock. He didn't have time. The loud screech of the car echoed loudly beside him. Light blinded him, enveloping the image of Himawari. There was an impact against his side. Pain surged through his ribs and shoulders. Naruto's mind went blank. His breath caught in his throat as the wind whipped passed him. The ground fell away, but only for seconds. He landed back on the asphalt with a loud thud. The force of the car hitting him sent him rolling a few feet away. And then...all he saw was the darkening sky. Muffled, pounding music mixed with the ringing in his ears. Everything hurt. Naruto tasted copper in his mouth. He tried to talk, but wasn't even sure if he made a sound. His head rolled to the side. He saw pairs of feet running toward him. He wanted to ask if Himawari was okay, but his mouth wasn't working. Words wouldn't come out. Then darkness devoured him.

Quiet mutters stirred him awake. Naruto opened his eyes blearily. White walls surrounded him. For a second, he thought he was dead, but then a hand squeezed his. Groaning, he turned his head to the side. Sasuke sat beside him with his head tilted down as he held tightly onto his hand.

"Sasu...ke..." he mumbled. Sasuke twitched from his voice. His lover lifted his head quickly, revealing dark bags under his eyes. He couldn't remember what happened, but seeing Sasuke in this state left him worried. He lifted his hand, brushing his thumb against Sasuke's cheek in a soft caress. "Hey..."

"God, Naruto..." Sasuke muttered. His body shuddered as he leaned forward and clasped his hand to his chest. "I was so...shit…I thought I was going to lose you too."

"What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

"Ugh." Naruto groaned. A pounding in his head intensified.

"It's okay. Don't try to. Hold on, let me call the nurse."

Sasuke released his hand and got up. He left the room, leaving Naruto to his thoughts. He tried to remember despite Sasuke telling him he didn't need to. Suddenly, a flash of a car light came into mind. Moaning in pain, he finally remembered what had happened. He lifted his hand to rub his forehead, but was stopped by an uncomfortable tug. He glanced down to see an IV stuck in his arm. Naruto dropped his head back, then winced at the pain. A few minutes later, the door opened. A nurse walked into the room, followed by Sasuke and Iruka.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Uzumaki?" asked the nurse.

"Painful, but otherwise, okay," he replied.

"Alright. I'll need to do some check up. Don't move your head too much. It's been a day, but those stitches will need time to heal."

"Mmm." Naruto let the nurse do what she needed to do while he turned his attention to Iruka who sat down beside him in a chair. He smiled. "Hey dad."

Iruka tried to smile, but it wavered. He looked exhausted too. "Naruto...when I got the call from Sasuke that you were in a car accident...you don't know how much that took off out of my life! I was so scared! Kakashi and I came right away when we got the news."

"Sorry..."

"Don't apologize! I know why you jumped in front of the car. Hiashi told me."

"Hiashi?"

"Yes...when we got here, Hanabi was at the apartment. Shortly after, Hiashi dropped by. He told me what led up to how you got hit by the car. I was so angry at him. Taking the kids like that and just expecting them to accept it. He doesn't even understand their feelings." Iruka's hands clenched.

"You didn't hit him, did you?"

"No. I wanted to, but Kakashi did."

"Eh?"

"And I was very happy he did! But...after we calmed down a bit, we talked it out. Hiashi returned back to his place. The children didn't want to see him when he came to visit. I would say it's what he deserves but...well, I'm a grandfather too, so I understand he may be hurt by it."

Naruto sighed. "He never even saw them until that day."

"That's...not true." Iruka smiled sadly. "He may not have met them in the flesh, but he did see their photos."

Naruto frowned. There was much he needed to talk about with the other older man, but it would have to wait until he was released from the hospital. Looking to Sasuke, he smiled and reached for his hand. Sasuke immediately latched on. "Sorry, I worried you."

"Don't. I...I'm just glad you're okay," Sasuke said.

His voice was gravelly, most likely from lack of sleep. Naruto could imagine the fear Sasuke felt. He lost Sakura to an accident. If something were to happen to him too, he was afraid the light in his lover's eyes would disappear once more. He squeezed Sasuke's hand in comfort. "Yeah. I'll be back to normal in a jiffy! Don't worry. How...how is Himawari?"

"She's fine…" Sasuke started, "physically. She's traumatized, Naruto. I don't know how bad, but she hasn't said or done anything other than waking up from a nightmare last night. Maybe when she sees you, it will make her feel better. I can bring them by later."

Naruto nodded slowly. He really wanted to go home right now and hug his daughter, promise her the world that everything was going to be okay. Exhaling, he said, "Okay. Thank you."

The three of them talked for a while longer, but then Naruto started to worry that Sasuke needed sleep. He ushered Iruka and Sasuke to head back home. He was fine now. He didn't need them to stand beside him and worry their mind out. Reluctantly, the two left. Naruto waved them off, then settled back into the bed. The nurse finished her check up, but before leaving, she informed him the doctor wanted to talk to him. Puzzled, he nodded his head. He tapped his finger against the surface of the blanket, waiting patiently. Dark thoughts entered his mind, but he pushed them back. There couldn't be anything wrong with him. Maybe the doctor just wanted to reassure him that everything was going to be fine. Smiling, he nodded to himself. _That had to be it_.

There was a light knock on the door. Naruto turned his gaze to the door as it swung open. His doctor walked in, smiling kindly. Naruto smiled back and waited. The doctor sat down where Iruka had sat. There was a moment of silence which left Naruto uneasy. "Um, so the nurse said you had something to discuss with me?"

"Ah, yes," the doctor said. Clearing his throat, he straightened his back. He looked Naruto in the eyes. "I know you just recovered, but I believe this is something urgent."

"Okay?"

"You see, when we were taking some scans of your head to check for concussions, we found...a rather large tissue at the base of your skull."

Naruto stared. He gulped; his mouth turned dry. "What...what are you saying?"

"Mr. Uzumaki, we found a tumor near the tip of your spinal cord."

* * *

 **A/N:** Hmm...was the pacing too fast? :I

Apologies for not writing much about Jiraiya's funeral. He doesn't even appear in the fanfic...


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

The world fell away from under his feet. _A tumor_. It couldn't be true. His breathing heightened as he tried to gasp for air. Everything was spinning. The light was too bright and the noises from outside were pounding loudly. Closing his eyes, he tried to shake off the feeling, but it only worsened. He needed to get out of here. He needed to get home. He tried to get up. Again, the uncomfortable feeling pulled on his arm. Frustrated, he tugged the IV. He needed them off. He just needed...air. He needed air and the safety of his home. He needed _normalcy_. Hands pressed against his shoulders. Voices garbled through the white noise. He fought them off, but they remained on him, pushing him down. He growled, shouting something he didn't even understand. Another pair of hand grabbed his arm, forcing it to turn, his palm supine. A tiny prick pinched the crease of his arm. Blurred faces surrounded him as a sudden lethargy overtook him. His mouth opened, trying to ask what was happening, but then everything was turning black. His focus dimmed until he was soundly asleep again.

When he woke up again, he saw the nurse fixing the IV stand. The moment she saw him, she asked him questions and made a quick check before leaving to call the doctor again. Naruto sat up in the hospital bed, trying to make sense of what happened again. By the time the doctor arrive, he mostly pieced together what happened. He glanced back to the doctor when he sat down in the same spot from earlier. "I had a panic attack," Naruto said.

"Yes. We had to sedate you before you harmed yourself," the doctor said.

"Huh...so, the tumor."

"Yes. We need to perform a biopsy to check if the tumor is malignant or benign."

"Cancerous or not."

"...yes..."

"My wife had breast cancer. I'm not new to this. It's just...I didn't think…what are the prospects?"

"I..."

"It's okay. I won't get my hopes up even if it sounds nice."

"My assumption is that it is a meningioma which are often non-cancerous. Symptoms tends to be headaches, change in vision, and sometimes weakness on one side of the body. Now, I say all this, but we want to be cautious. We'd still like to do a biopsy. In most cases, that can happen quickly while in process of surgery so that we can perform the resection at the same time."

"...When can it be arranged?"

"You're still recovering from your car accident. Luckily, there wasn't any internal bleeding or swelling, but there was a stitching needed on your head. We'd like for that to heal, but we don't want to wait too long on this either. We can make an appointment for the surgery in a week. Is that alright?"

"Yes."

"Alright. I'll go make the arrangements." The doctor stood and started for the door. "I can also arrange for you to be discharge for tomorrow, if you would like."

"Yes, please."

"Okay. Then, please rest." The doctor nodded his head, then finally left.

Once again, Naruto was left to this thoughts. Resting back onto the hospital bed, he stared up at the white ceiling. If it was true that most meningiomas were non-cancerous, then he didn't need to worry. However, his mind delved into dark thoughts. His symptoms had long started since Hinata's passing. Since he didn't get checked for a while, did it mean he was at a risk for a complicated surgery? Naruto closed his eyes, wishing he had asked the doctor earlier. The thumping of his heart pounded in his ears. And what if it was cancerous? He didn't want to put his children through _that_ again. They already lost their mother to cancer. If something were to happen to him because of it too...he couldn't think about how much it would hurt them. Sighing, he rubbed his eyes with his free hand. This was all too much to take in. Not to mention, he still wanted to talk to Hiashi too about everything. He hoped that with everything that happened, the stubborn old man would be more open to listening. His exhausted brain couldn't think about much more and soon he was asleep again.

He was woken sometime later in the afternoon. The children were in the room with Sasuke, waiting with bated breath. Blinking, his lips lifted at the sight of them. Himawari was quick to rush forward, clambering onto the bed despite Sasuke warning her to be careful. Her small arms wrapped tightly around him as she sobbed. Large tears streamed down her cheeks. Naruto cooed, hushing and comforting her as he rubbed her head, wiping tears and snot away all the while keeping her in his arms. She finally calmed down after crying her heart out and promptly fell asleep. Sasuke offered to move her, but Naruto declined it. He wanted her close. He almost lost her and feeling her warmth by his side also comforted him. He adjusted her body to make her more comfortable on the small hospital bed, then turned his attention to Boruto and Sarada who waited at his bedside. It was clear that the two older children were fidgeting, waiting for his permission. Grinning, he opened his arms. Relief flooded them as the two hurried and hugged him. After a minute or so, they finally untangled their arms. They spent the next few hours talking, mostly about what happened.

"Grandpa Hiashi dropped by the school after Sarada went back inside," Boruto started, "I refused to ride back with him, saying that we were waiting for Sarada. Himawari asked if they could wait for her, then we wouldn't mind. I tried to tell Hima that it wasn't good idea, but Grandpa Hiashi agreed and Hima immediately went inside...I don't blame her for thinking nothing bad was going to happen. Mom always talked fondly of him and we were always shown pictures of Grandpa Hiashi. Hima just didn't quite understand yet why we never met Grandpa Hiashi face to face and I didn't have the courage to break the illusion for her. I went in with her to make sure nothing happened, but when I did, they closed the door and drove off. Hima started yelling them to stop because they were leaving Sarada behind, but they wouldn't stop the car. The next thing we know, we were at Grandpa Hiashi's house, being forcefully led inside all the while Grandpa Hiashi was saying that he would raise us and give us a better life...everything we wanted, he said."

Naruto clenched the blanket in his fists tightly. He wanted to be mad, to feel some sort of seething anger at Hiashi for brazenly taking his children in broad daylight, but no such emotion came. Maybe it was due to fatigue from all the years of trying to bring Hiashi into the lives of children, but never hearing a word or maybe it was exhaustion from keeping his anger in check for all the times he never came by to see Hinata in the hospital. Or maybe it was just an understanding. His hands slowly relaxed, splaying back on out the hospital sheets. _Yes, an understanding_. Like Hiashi, he also wanted what was best for his children. Hiashi may have gone about it the wrong way, but Naruto also knew he had good intentions. Sighing, he nodded slowly. "Do you...hate him?" he asked slowly.

Boruto stared. He pursed his lips and shrugged. "Mom never said anything bad about him. I mean, sure, I kinda understood that Grandpa Hiashi probably didn't like the family very much, but mom only ever said nice things. I don't think mom would have lied about that. Besides, whenever mom spoke about Grandpa Hiashi, she always had his peaceful look on her face."

Naruto smiled wanly. It was true. Hinata never misspoke about Hiashi. Despite the history between them, he was still her father who raised her and Hanabi as a single father. He may have been strict, but he was still a good father to her. Reaching out a hand, he ruffled Boruto's head. "If you see him again, how would you react?"

"I don't know. I didn't like that he tried to take us away from you...but I won't truly know how I would react until I see him again."

Humming thoughtfully, Naruto ruffled Boruto's head once more. His son frowned, swiping his hand away and fixing his hair. The conversation remain light afterward for the rest of the hours until Sasuke had to take the children back home. Himawari was reluctant to go, but Naruto promised her he would be home the next day which got her to leave with Sasuke. Before Sasuke could leave his side, he reached out with a hand and gripped the other man's hand. Sasuke's black eyes drifted over to him with a raised brow. Smiling, he asked, "Are you going to pick me up tomorrow?"

Sasuke nodded. "Yes."

Relieved, he slipped his hands away. As he settled back into the bed, he was taken by surprise when Sasuke leaned down and kissed him chastely on the lips. Blinking, Naruto's mouth fell open. He barely caught the flush red of a blush just as Sasuke turned away.

"See you tomorrow," said Sasuke as he left the room. His gaze looked over him one last time, then the door closed.

Naruto was still left speechless. He touched his lips. The burning sensation of his lover's lips lingered. Giddiness erupted. He bit back a squeal, burying himself under the hospital blankets. _Shit, I feel like a teenager all over again._ He laughed inwardly at himself. It wasn't like Sasuke didn't take the initiative, but having him kiss him a public place was a very big step. His fingers trailed back to his lips. Sighing, he pressed two fingers against them. How he wanted to kiss Sasuke again and make his legs quiver; to press his body against his and feel him writhe beneath him. He couldn't wait to leave tomorrow.

* * *

He was discharged as stated the next day and returned home with Sasuke. Arriving back at the apartment, he was greeted by a fussing Iruka and a concerned Kakashi. Gaara also stopped by to check in on him after hearing what happened from Boruto. By the time the children returned from school, everyone in the complex had visited him once, bringing him get well gifts mostly consisting of fruits. As Iruka and Sasuke prepped for dinner, Naruto sat in the living room with Himawari excitedly telling him about her day. Kakashi, Boruto, and Sarada joined him in listening to her. Soon, the apartment was filled with chatter and laughing. Naruto sat back, watching the children as they talked and bickered. Smiling, he watched them a little while longer until the doorbell rang. He moved to stand up, but Kakashi pushed a hand on his shoulder, and rose to open the door instead. He thanked his father and returned to the children's conversation.

"You sure have guts to come back here." Kakashi's voice traveled through the apartment.

Turning around, Naruto glanced to the door. Hanabi stood beside a stern looking Hiashi. She caught his eyes and smiled, waving at him. He returned her smile, then stood up slowly. "Dad, it's okay. Let him in."

Kakashi stepped aside, despite his expression showing the opposite of welcoming. Boruto and Himawari were quick to run over and hug Hanabi, welcoming her inside. But when their blue eyes settled on Hiashi, their smiles slowly faded as they warily stared at him. Naruto bit back a sigh. Things were going to get difficult if Hiashi remained stubborn. He walked over to his father-in-law, standing in front of him. Hiashi's brows furrowed. Expecting to be scolded, Naruto waited with bated breath. Instead, he let out surprised sigh when Hiashi bowed. "Er, Hiashi, it's...you don't—"

"I apologize for putting the children in harm's way," Hiashi said. "I...I'm sorry. I didn't want...I never wanted to hurt them. I just wanted to make sure they had the best—"

Naruto placed a hand on Hiashi's shoulder and pulled him up from the bow. Looking at the other man face to face, he said, "I know. I'm not happy how you did it, but I understand. I also want what's best for the children. I won't say I'm the best father, but I love them dearly and I will do whatever I can to make sure they grow up healthy and happy."

Hiashi blinked. Lips pressed, he nodded his head. "Yes...that is the best." He seemed hesitant, but Hiashi eventually cleared his throat and asked, "Is it alright if I...see _her_ altar?"

It took a moment, but Naruto eventually let him. While the others remained behind, he led his father-in-law to the room of Hinata's shrine. Kneeling before it, the two of them lit an incense, prayed, and placed them into the incense holder. Silence blanketed over them as they remained kneeling, staring at Hinata's picture. Each and every one of them revealed her bright smiles. He didn't know how long they sat in silence, but Hiashi was the first to break it.

"I am sure you probably won't ever forgive me for everything I've done in the past," he said.

Naruto bit his inner cheek. Slowly, he put his thoughts into words. "I...don't know. More than it being about me, I was angry that you disowned Hinata and even when she was at her worst, you never came. I couldn't forgive that, but Hinata...she was sweet and gentle. She never held a speck of hate toward you. Because of that, I was willing to look it over. But...it was hard. Even now, it's hard. I can't say I'll forgive you right away, but..." Naruto turned toward Hiashi. "I think we can try starting over. Hinata always wanted you to meet the children. So...as long as you don't take them away, I don't mind if you come by and visit them. However, I cannot speak for them. Whether they forgive you or not is up to them."

Hiashi tilted his head down. His hands clenched atop his lap. "Of course. I must apologize for the trauma I caused them. I will do everything I can to gain their forgiveness."

"...Why the change of heart?" Of everything that had happened, this was what had confused him the most. "You wanted nothing to do with us, but now...you're suddenly trying to put yourself into our lives. Why?"

"I thought Hinata would come back after realizing the life she would be living would be hard. Disowning her was just another way of trying to make her understand, but she never returned home. She started her life with you...and instead of accepting the reality, my pride wouldn't let me give in. When I received letters of my grandchildren along with their pictures, I was...surprised. I always thought Hinata was too gentle and weak to go through with it. But reading her letters, seeing how happy she was despite the hardships, I realized my daughter was not weak. I couldn't forgive myself.

I wanted to go see her when she fell ill, but I didn't have the courage to either visit her or go to her funeral. I was a despicable father. I thought maybe...I could change that with Boruto and Himawari, but instead I hurt them. I, truly and honestly, only wanted what was best for them and I thought maybe a life with better advantages at hand would be better for them, but..." Hiashi lifted his head, his lips twisted in a somber smile. "Little Himawari was quick to yell at me once she realized what was going on. Seeing that, I was reminded of Hinata when she argued with me for the first time when she wanted to marry you. In the end, I was making the same mistake. Before I knew it, Himawari was running out of the house and Boruto was chasing after her. And then...everything else happened. Seeing that...seeing you risk so much to protect her, I also realized that you truly cared for Hinata. I was wrong. I'm sorry."

Seeing Hiashi as he was now, Naruto began to see him a different light. Quietly, he turned back to the shrine. Taking a breath, he began telling Hiashi stories of his life with Hinata; all their happy memories, all the troubles the children got into, and even the quarrels he and Hinata had. It was the least he could do for the father of his deceased wife who merely wanted to protect her. So, he told their story. They shared a few chuckles here and there, slowly seaming the broken patches of the past. And Naruto hoped somewhere beyond Hinata was watching over them to see her family coming back together.

Their conversation came to an end when Himawari came to get them for dinner. Hiashi refused to stay and since Hanabi drove him there, she also had to leave. Hanabi left first to get the car started while Hiashi bid his goodbyes to Iruka and Kakashi. As Naruto walked him to the door, his children joined him. With Himawari and Boruto each at his side, he watched on while Hiashi bent to his knees to get to eye level with the kids.

"I wanted to tell you two that I'm very sorry for what I did. I don't know if you will forgive me, but I hope one day, I can atone for all that I did," Hiashi said apologetically.

At first, the two were silent, unsure of how to broach the older man. But then Himawari suddenly walked forward and wrapped her arms around Hiashi who was taken aback by her action. Himawari said, "I forgive you, Grandpa Hiashi. Mom really loved you because she always talked about you. I'm sure you were just lonely because mom left to be with daddy. But now, you don't have to be lonely. You can visit us whenever you do. I'll be very happy to play with you. Right, big brother?" Himawari released him, then looked over her shoulder to Boruto.

Boruto blinked slowly. He lifted a shoulder and shrugged. "I guess. As long we don't go through _that_ again, I don't mind."

Himawari grinned. "So we will see you soon again, right Grandpa Hiashi?"

Hiashi's eyes glossed over in concealed tears. Pressing his fingers to his eyes, he cleared his throat. Despite that though, it still sounded shaky. "Yes, of course. I'll visit soon again."

Standing back up, Naruto offered to walk him to the car. When they left the apartment, they walked side by side to the stairs. Naruto let him go first, but Hiashi stopped abruptly. The old man turned toward him, his eyes set firmly in something. Naruto raised his brows curiously.

"That...man. The, uh, one you're with..." Hiashi trailed.

"Uchiha Sasuke. He's my lover. His daughter, Sarada, goes to the same school as Boruto," Naruto said.

"Ah, yes...he's..."

"Are you against him being around the children?"

Hiashi frowned. "No."

His answer took Naruto by surprise. Shifting awkwardly on his feet, he asked, "Is there a problem with me being in a relationship with him? I...just because I'm with him doesn't mean I never loved Hinata."

"I don't doubt that. It's just...the other day when I came by, he was quick to protect the children. Him and his daughter, that is. You have a good person by your side. He's willing to protect the kids despite the fact that he isn't related to them by blood."

Hearing those words set Naruto's heart at ease. Smiling, he agreed. "Yes. He is a good man. I'm glad he chose to be with me."

"Just to let you know..." Hiashi started hesitantly. After a moment of more awkward silence and shifting, Hiashi finished his sentence. "I never had anything against your parents' relationship. It was just...I raised Hinata as a lady. We're a well off family, well-known for traditions. The Hyuuga family line dates back to the Tokugawa era. Not allowing you to marry her was because—"

"I was of lower status than her." Naruto finished for him.

"Ah...yes. But...she was happy with you, so...thank you for taking good care of her."

"Mmm."

Smiling, he watched Hiashi leave the apartment complex. The cooling night air brushed against his skin. Leaning against the rail, he glanced up to the dark sky. His mind wandered over the events that unfolded. His life was slowly, but surely changing. When Hinata passed away, he believed he would never love anyone else. He thought the Gods were against him, making his life miserable by taking away his happiness. And then his children brought him back, making him believe in all that was good and happy again. He never expected his life to get better than that until his eyes laid upon Sasuke and his daughter. Ever since then, it seemed positive things just kept entering his life. He hoped his luck would remain as it was.

He didn't know how long he stayed outside until something warm wrapped around his shoulders. Surprised, he tilted his head head and saw Sasuke standing beside him. His hands touched the jacket his lover had placed around him. Such a small gesture, but there was so much care and emotion within in. Naruto smiled, tugging the coat tighter around himself. He scooted a little closer, then leaned over and rested his head against Sasuke's shoulder. The two stood side by side in a comfortable silence for a little while longer till Sasuke took his hand into his. He brought it to his lips and kissed the knuckles. They lingered for a moment before Sasuke turned his hand and kissed the palm. Hand once again intertwine, Sasuke quietly led him back to the apartment.

Sasuke's affection was always quiet. Despite that, they always meant a lot to Naruto. His lover was supportive in his own way—always there, and ready to be his boulder if he needed him to be. Naruto knew he was the same to Sasuke. Hand tightening, he tugged them to a stop. Sasuke turned, facing him with a raised brow in question. He returned the gesture from earlier, bringing their linked hands to his lip and brushing them over Sasuke's knuckles. Words were wonderful, but sometimes they were unnecessary between them. Sometimes, they just needed that small touch to confirm their feelings.

Tears brimmed his eyes suddenly. So much had happened in the past few weeks. There were bumps along the path, but together, they had remained strong. He smiled through his tears as Sasuke cupped his face, thumbs wiping away his tears. Blinking the salty liquid away and through his blurred vision, the rare curve of a smile revealed itself on Sasuke's handsome face. His heart skipped a beat. That smile...was all he needed at the moment to let him know everything was going to be okay. Because no matter what troubles came their way, together, they could conquer it all.

* * *

 **A/N:** And here is the last of the bulk update. XD Working on the next chapter already.

Err, I hope the pacing was okay. Or was the situation solved too fast? I mean, it's not completely solved. They still have things to work out and patch up. The children still have to bond with Hiashi. :I Naruto hasn't told anyone about his tumor yet, so...you can guess what the next thing will be about. It won't be too bad. I hope...

Anyways, hoped the chapters were enjoyable!


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